The Darkest Houdini
by Kyandi-Akatensei
Summary: To say life was easy to understand...was a fucking lie. From the day she was born Isolde Amorette knew that life sucked. When a driver runs a street light, crashing into her car, she awakes to find herself cast into her favorite book series where she knows everything that's going to happen before it does. A new life, new worries, new troubles. What else could go wrong?
1. Life Pulled A Houdini

Author's Note:

Hello everyone! My name is Kyandi! Usually I'm found in the anime section of the site, but I loved this book series so much, I just couldn't help myself. Now, while I do appreciate helpful correction, please do not flat out flame me. I take pride in my writing, but I am human and make mistakes. If you find such mistakes, please inform me, so I can correct them. This story does follow almost exactly along with the books, so don't be surprised to find several quotes from the books, as well as events from the book. That being said, please enjoy and review! Be warned, my OC is very...opinionated. I do not own The Lords of the Underworld series, or any of it's characters.

Chapter 1 Life Pulled A Houdini

TO SAY LIFE WAS easy to understand...was a fucking lie. Pretty much from the day she was born Isolde Amorette knew that life sucked. And not in a good way. It was in no way, easy to understand. If anything her life thrived to be difficult to comprehend. It certainly threw her for quite some loops. Normalcy and ease had never been apart of her life.

Ever.

But this?

This went beyond that.

The night had been a normal one. Well...as normal as they got in her house. She had made dinner which in her house consisted of quick microwavable meals and cup-o-noodles, sat down and ate it while watching her new favorite show, _Killjoys_. So far, so good. She had washed up the kitchen after dinner, had showered, and after changing, she had retreated to bed where she had fallen asleep finishing the latest book of a new series she was reading called _Angels of the Dark_. She had all of the series before that one, _Lords of the Underworld_ , and once again found herself wishing she could be apart of the world.

She already had the strapping-yourself-with-weapons-from-head-to-toe bit down. A girl new new what she would face in the heart of a big city. Best to be safe then sorry.

She was strange enough that next to someone like William the Ever Randy or a Harpy or even one of the Lords, she would looked ordinary. Something Isolde had strove for since she was a child. Something that had been denied her in her sucky ass life. In fact, before she feel asleep, she had found herself thinking the universe owed her one for how sucky her life had been and it was past due.

Probably not the best thing to think now that she looked back.

Hind sight sucked as well.

Waking up the next morning had been the same as always.

Shower, breakfast of whatever was left of a loaf of bread, clean up, hopping into the car to go to the store while blasting the latest album of _In The Momemt_ on her sterio.

Nothing new.

But boy did life love throwing wrenches into her plans.

Sometimes she wondered if she was the real world version of Kane and housed the demon of Disaster, because that seemed to be all she brought to herself. Then again she could also house the demon of Misery too, because sometimes that was all she got.

But at this moment the Disaster part was all that mattered.

She swore she had checked both ways. She swore her light had been green. She swore there had not been another car in sight.

Well she found out where swearing got her.

No sooner had she inched out into the intersection to carry on her happy way-the word "happy" being used extremely loosely-a car came speeding out of nowhere, slamming into her driver side door. Isolde's world became a whirlwind of screeching tires, metal crunching into metal, metal crushing in on bone and flesh, and blinding, hot pain.

Oh, so she suddenly became the keeper of Pain, huh?

And then, just like that, it all stopped.

She felt like she was free falling. Having once fallen out a second story window, Isolde was already acquainted with the feeling. Then came more pain then she had ever felt before. Her back connected with something, firm and solid, which gave way sending her crashing through something else firm and solid, which also gave away. She didn't know how many times she crashed through something but finally, dare she say, blessedly, her back met stone and she didn't go any further.

Thankfully, that also meant that the pain peeked and Isolde's world finally, gratefully, went dark. She would question everything later. For now, her mind, as well as her body needed to come to grips with the pain she more then likely was going to feel when she woke up.

That was reason enough to sleep the rest of her life away.

If only she could be so lucky.

-0-0-0-0-

THE DAY HAD BEEN normal. Well as normal as it got in the fortress of Budapest. Paris had watched his porn, Maddox had punched away at a punching bag, a wall, anything, Lucien was off somewhere doing paperwork, Reyes off somewhere cutting himself, Aeron was cleaning up the latest of Maddox's fits of violence, and Torin was watching it all from his bedroom.

Pretty normal.

Then had come the shaking of the whole fortress before something hit the roof with enough force to drive it through all the floors before it came to a stop in the front hall where the front doors of the fortress loomed. All six of the fortress inhabitants had come running to see what could have possibly had happened, and all six came to grinding halt when they saw what now lay in their front hall among broken boards, crumbling plaster, and even a little electrical wiring.

"Dear gods, is that a girl?" Paris breathed.

Laying among the mess of destruction was a young woman. Hair was sprawled around her, plaster painting her skin ghostly white in places.

The six inched closer, until they stood in a wide circle around her.

"Is she dead?" Reyes asked.

"No. She's breathing." Lucien pointed out.

"I don't see how. That was quite the fall."Aeron said, his eyes going to the ceiling which bore a hole in it.

Through it they could see all the way up through to fortress to the sky beyond the roof. No normal woman would have survived such an ordeal. Her organs would have been shredded just as badly as her back must be, and her bones would have been crushed. But sure enough, her chest was rising and falling in, albeit choppy, breaths.

"I wonder where she came from." Torin mused.

"No idea, but she's awfully pretty." Paris remarked, knelling to get a better look at the girl.

Though she was covered in splashes of blood and a coating of plaster, she was indeed pretty.

Hair of a smooth, rich, caramel brown flowed from her skull. The strands had obviously just started to obtain a red tint to them, the red blazing through as the sunlight hit her hair. A closer look, though, revealed that half of her roots were a blonde so pale it was white, while the other half were dark. Looking the long fan of lashes that brushed her cheeks, revealed that they matched the fairer of her roots while the thin, arched brows matched the darker of her roots.

This meant that at one time her hair had been so fair it was white and it had darkened with age, hence it's current coloring.

The whole mass of hair was streaked through with dyed in silver-and-black zebra streaks, adding a rebellious, punked out feel to her. When standing her hair would have fallen to pool at her waist, maybe farther, in lush waves.

Her facial features were pretty too. Her face was distinctively heart shaped with high cheek bones, softened out by a gentle and soft slope of cheeks to an, albeit stubborn, chin. There was a laugh line in each cheek, paired with a dimple that would stand out no matter if she was smiling, laughing, or simply pursing her lips into a mulish line. Her nose was straight, proud, with just a slight uplift at the tip, her lips full, the bottom one fuller, and a mix of rose and pink in color.

Those features were currently scrunched up in pain.

Her figure was lush, curved in all the right places, with mile long legs, and just enough lean muscle to show that she didn't spend her time idling around. Her skin tone ranged between cream and honey. It looked like the girl didn't spend any time out in the sun but the splash of freckles across both shoulders left bare by the black, stretchy tank top, said other wise. Instead of tanning, she probably burned out in the sun, but it obviously didn't stop her from going out.

Looking her over revealed that the only other flaws in her skin came in the form of scars. One across the back of her left hand, three more raking down one shoulder, four jagged ones across the thigh of her right leg, and several small ones littered here and there about her skin.

Either she didn't have an easy life or she was horribly accident prone. Maybe both.

Add in the four time pierced ears, the streaks in her hair, and the mix of a biker chick meets badass look she was rocking in the form of a black tank top, short and low slung, black jean shorts, thigh high, lace trimmed metallic blue stockings, knee high black biker boots, blue biker mitts, and knives stuck into her boots and at her belt, and the girl looked like she probably ate normal men for breakfast.

"Pretty or not, what should we do with her?" Maddox asked.

"We should kill her." Reyes suggested.

"Not a chance! She's a woman!" Paris, ever the defender of women, said.

"She could be Bait." Aeron remarked.

"Yes because Hunters would really launch one of their own through floor after floor of a building on the off chance that she might actually survive it." Paris said sarcastically.

"There was no sign of air craft outside." Torin added.

"Then the gods had to of sent her." Reyes said. "Which means we should still kill her."

"The gods have had nothing to do with us in centuries. Why would they suddenly drop a woman into our presence?" Maddox asked.

"It does not matter. The only way we will get the answers, is from her, herself. We will have to wait until she wakes up. We will lock her in one of the rooms until then." Lucien said, ending the argument.

"She smells like lavender, honey, and apples." Paris couldn't help adding.

The others rolled their eyes.

While Aeron and Maddox gathered what they would need to clean and repair the damage the done, Lucien leaned down and, as gentle as he could, scooped her up into his arms. Broken bones crunched and grated under his touch, the woman's features twisting even more in pain. But to her credit, she never made a sound.

He carried her up the stairs, Torin, Paris, and Reyes following behind. Lucien placed her in a room near his, so he could check in on the girl and, much to Paris' joy, began stripping the girl of her boots and stockings, more weapons being revealed by the second. A total of thirteen knives, two Sigs, back up bullets, a set of lock picks in the sole of one boot, the makings of an explosive in the other, and even a foot long, baton that could be use to beat someone upside their head.

Lucien removed the tank top, revealing a black, strapless, lacy bra beneath, two more knives and a gun strapped to her ribs, and bruises and scars abound. It was then they stopped the butterfly tattoo wrapping around the left side of her ribs. Much like their own brands, this one had razor sharp wings and was a silver color that almost matched the silver in the zebra print in her hair.

"Is that-" Paris trailed off as Lucien leaned in to study the tattoo.

"No. This is a normal, human tattoo. But it is uncanny how similar it is to our's." Lucien remarked, reaching out to touch the tattoo.

Instantly the girl's arm shoot out in an instinctive reflex. Even unconscious, the knuckles of the girl's hand connected with Lucien's jaw. The scarred man jerked back, even though the blow was too weak to offer any kind of damage. Paris out right burst into laughter, Torin chuckling along with him. Lucien gave the two a sharp look. Though they stopped laughing, he could still see the humor in both of their eyes. Reyes eyed the two as he appeared in the door way with bandages, a bowl of water, and a towel for cleaning up the girl and binding her injuries.

Lucien helped him, the two cleaning away blood and binding injuries. When they were done, the majority of the girl's chest and back were bandages. Her poor back had been shredded by the fall and as they pieced the skin back together, they found the girl's back held two more tattoos. Well...her back and nape. The nape of her neck bore a tattoo of a tribal dragon, the small creature curling up from the base of her nape to the base of her skull. The second tattoo was an outline, almost tribal version of a lotus flower between her shoulder blades.

Paris had to make a comment about both and Lucien and Reyes ignore their friend as they eased the girl back onto her back after having tugged a spare, too large T-shirt over her head. Lucien tugged the blanket up over her. By this point Aeron and Maddox had joined them and Lucien had found a ring around the girl's left ring finger. The silver band shined back up at them, looking more and more like a wedding band by the second.

Lucien left it where it was as he turned to Aeron and Maddox.

"We repaired the hole in the roof for now. The permanate repairs will take some time. She left quite the hole." Maddox reported.

"She took out a light on the second floor, which explains the electrical wiring. I fixed it." Aeron added.

"Well you missed it. Our little lady here tried to give Lucien a black eye." Paris remarked.

Aeron and Maddox looked at each other before focusing matching violet eyes on the girl in the bed and then on Lucien.

"It was an instinctive reflex. Not a very strong one, either." Lucien replied.

"So we just wait for her to wake up?" Paris asked, knelling beside the bed to look the girl in the face.

"If she wakes up. Not many humans would survive something like that, if any." Reyes replied.

"We will find out." Lucien said.

-0-0-0-0-

FOR THE NEXT WEEK the six men took turns checking in on their Jane Doe. To their surprise, the girl, who could be nothing other then human, healed too quickly for one. By the end of the first day, her cuts had sealed close and scabbed over. By the end of the second day, broken bones had reset themselves. By the end of the third day, bruises faded into nothing and scabs fell away to show pink, healthy skin. By the end of the fourth day, the bones had completely healed. At the end of the week she was completely healed, healing at about the same rate as them, if not a little slower.

But she had yet to wake.

"Do you think she will die anyway?" Paris asked, leaning over the girl, looking at her face.

Her features, in the last two days, had smoothed out, the pain erased from her features as she healed. Now with her body relaxed and her face calm, she looked even prettier then before, a slight rosy hue entering her cheeks.

"Time will tell, but no, I do not." Lucien answered from where he stood at the foot of the bed.

Maddox was pacing the room, Areon and Reyes sitting in chairs, the latter marking off ticks in his arm with a knife. Torin remained at the door, arms crossed over his chest. Paris leaned closer. It seemed as if the girl's eyes were starting to shift under her eye lids...and then those eyes popped open.

Paris yanked back as the girl bolted up straight in bed. All six men froze. The girl sat there for the longest, staring straight ahead but not seeing anything around her. They could tell her eyes were trying to focus but having a hard time of it. She was holding her breath too, as if expecting something that never came. But the men were focusing on something else.

Her eyes.

They had all, at one point, wondered what her eyes looked like, and now they knew. Staring out from under a fan of those pale lashes were the prettiest eyes any of them had ever seen. The irises were a vermilion red, a perfect mix of red and pink, the edges of which were a sky blue. It was so unusual, but so very pretty. Those eyes stared at nothing for a long moment before she finally blinked, the haze clearing from them, and groaned before dropping her head into her hands.

"Damn, I have a headache." she said softly, fingers threading into her hair, palms pressing into her eyes.

Her voice was low, lulling like a lullaby, smooth and rolled over them like silk. It was the kind of voice any man would want to hear crying out to them in the bedroom. And she made quite the tempting picture sitting there with the shirt hanging off one shoulder because it was far too big. All of the man pushed the thought from their heads as she scrubbed at her face.

Finally she looked up and actually saw the room. She looked around, focusing on first one man and then another, until she had looked all six over. There was none of the fear or adoration that they had come accustomed to over the years as she looked at them. Just quiet curiosity. And there was something else in that keen, intelligent gaze, but it was something none of them could read. But what really made all of them freeze in their tracks was the reactions of their demons as those eyes landed on them.

Lucien's demon pressed against his temples. Knowing, too knowing, the demon crowed, pressing harder. The demon couldn't tell anything about her except that she knew more than it cared for. But it was so curious it was pressing against the back of his eyes trying to get closer.

Paris' demon was urging Paris to take the girl but there was hesitation in the demon. As if it wasn't sure that touching the girl was the best idea. Which was new to Paris since his demon wanted everyone with no hesitation.

Aeron's demon was surprisingly quiet. Wrath didn't flash any pictures of the girl's sins into his head. Not a little lie, not picking on a sibling, nothing. All Aeron heard from his demon was, "She knows.", over and over again.

Maddox's demon wasn't urging him to harm or maim the girl. It was actually shrinking back at the back of Maddox's skull, pressing as far away from her as it could get while Maddox stood still. The demon hummed with the need to not draw those oddly colored eyes back to it.

Reyes' demon was doing close to the same thing as Maddox's, hiding out of sight, not pressuring Reyes to hurt himself. To Reyes' surprise the demon was whispering "Too much pain" over and over. How could the demon of Pain find any kind of pain to be too much was beyond him.

Torin's demon had gone deathly still, as if freezing on the spot would keep the girl from coming near him. Don't touch, never touch, must not touch, want to touch, need to touch, his demon screeched. It clearly couldn't make up it's mind about the girl.

The girl winced, pressing her fingers into her temples. She rubbed at her temples.

"No wonder I have a headache. Do you mind telling them to shut up?" she asked.

This kick started their brains once more.

"No one is talking." Lucien said cautiously.

"The little rats you house are and they're making my head pound. Please tell them to zip it." she replied.

"Wait. You can hear our demons?" Paris asked.

"Yeah and I have to say...I'm not a fan of the images." the girl said, turning her eyes on Paris. "There's no way in hell that I would stick **that** in my mouth, so you can tell your demon to can it."

Part of Paris wanted to grin, the other part wasn't sure how to take the development of meeting a person who could hear his demon. The others had a more...aggressive reaction to the news.

"Who are you, girl?" Maddox asked on a growl.

"I'm not a child, so you could stand not to treat me like one." she replied, instead of answering the question.

Six pairs of eyes fixed on the girl, who obviously didn't care that she was close to provoking Maddox. She was too busy rubbing at her temples.

"Who are you, girl?" Maddox asked again, this time a little more harsher then the time before.

"You know it's only common courtesy to give your own name before asking that of another." the girl said, still purposely avoiding answering.

The others were starting to share Maddox's annoyance with the woman.

"Who are you, girl? I will not ask you again." Maddox growled.

"Good. Don't." was the simple reply, as the girl tossed the blanket covering her legs aside and swung those long legs over the side of the bed.

Maddox held back a roar of frustration, his eyes starting to acquire a red tint. Paris moved out of the way of the girl to avoid being kick and the girl's attention latched onto her appearance, finding herself in only an over sized T-shirt. She stared at it for a second before heaving a sigh.

"I better still have my underwear." she remarked, patting herself down.

Finding that she indeed still have her underwear, she turned those eyes on Maddox who was glaring at her.

"You're eyes are red." she remarked.

"You know of our demons. You should know what angering us would mean for you." Reyes told her in response.

"I have an inkling, yeah. It's just a matter of caring. I lack that part of the brain." she said in response.

"You do not care if we kill you?" Lucien asked.

The girl let out a curt laugh, her humor clear in her tone. The dimples came into full display as she smiled. That was obviously a no.

"If you were going to kill me, I'd be dead. Then again that wouldn't stand to be true if you wanted answers. But seeing how I'm not the cooperating kind, might as well get it over with." she replied, spreading her arms.

All six men stared at her, clearly sharing the same thought. This girl had hit her head too hard during her fall and there was a couple of loose wires in her head now. Maddox though was more annoyed then anything. He stormed across the room, his demon protesting getting any closer to the unknown girl, until he stood in front of her, leaning down to put his face on level with her. Violet met a gaze of vermilion red and sky blue.

"You will answer us or death will be the least of your worries. You will welcome it by the time we are done with you." Maddox growled.

The girl merely blinked at him, no fear, no intimidation in her gaze.

"Yeah...sorry but that wasn't anywhere near half as intimidating and scary as I'm sure you meant for it to be. You obviously haven't met Ashlyn yet." she replied.

One of Maddox's eyebrow shot up in questioning, frustration making his gaze even more red then before. Not that that did anything to faze this girl.

"Since you haven't, that means you still have your death curse. No wonder you're so grumpy, poor man." the girl added with a sigh and a shake of her head.

Maddox's hands shot out, grabbing the girl by her upper arms in a grip that would leave bruises on her skin. Not even that made her flinch. He yanked her to feet.

"How do you know about that?" he growled.

"Believe me...you wouldn't believe me if I told you. Lets just go with the answer that I know things about your future. And past. Probably more then you'd be comfortable with me knowing. But no worries, you aren't alone. I know everything about all of you. Even your six other friends that split from you to fight the Hunters." she replied.

It took all his control for Maddox not to rip into her. His demon though, didn't share the thought. It wanted nothing to do with the girl and was busy pounding at the back of Maddox's skull to try to get further away from her.

"Are you trying to anger us into killing you?" Aeron asked.

The girl let her head fall to look at Aeron upside down, her hair pooling on the bed behind her. She didn't seem bothered by the fact that Maddox's nails were elongating into claws, those claws cutting into her skin.

"No. Just being honest. Haven't you ever heard the saying honesty is the best policy? He asked, I answered. I thought me not answering was annoying you. Are you going to tell me now that answering is annoying? Cause that would make you a hypocrite and I don't assosiate with hypocrites. They're too much of a drag."

Yes, this girl definitely had one too many wires crossed in her brain.

"Are you insane?" Aeron said gruffly.

"Yes."

Another round of stares directed at the girl, silence stretching between them. The girl blinked before catching on to the possible reason for their silent stares.

"Oh, were you thinking I would say no? Sorry to disappoint but I'm well aware I have one too many screws loose in my head. It's a matter of preception. I happen to find being insane a good thing. Some of the best and most interesting people in the world are insane in some way." she remarked before turning her gaze back to Maddox. "No offense, but if you don't let go of my arms I'm going to have to take it as a threat and my foot may, or may not, find where the sun don't shine."

Maddox stared at her again as she offered him a large grin, teeth flashing.

"Please don't tell me I have to clarify that." she said on a sigh when he didn't answer.

"No." Maddox growled.

"Good. Now if you don't mind. Violence certainly doesn't like you touching me and if he's giving me a headache I know he has to be giving you one."

Maddox looked at Lucien, silently asking what they should do with the girl. Lucien moved up beside Maddox, looking down at the girl.

"What is your name?" he asked.

The girl heaved a sigh.

"Why is my name so important?" she asked.

"Do you want us to continue calling you "girl" instead?" Paris asked.

"Considering I'm not a big fan of my name? I'd rather you didn't call me anything. Hell, you could call me bitch for all I care. Actually I like the sound of that." she replied.

Maddox gave her a firm shaking, making her head bobble on her shoulders.

"Just answer." he growled.

"Alright. Jeez, impatient much? My name is Isolde. Isolde Amorette." she said finally.

"Amorette?" Paris asked, grin on his face as he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh shut it. Where I come from, your names are the funny ones." she replied.

"And where is that?" Lucien asked.

"Not here."

The girl was really becoming frustrating. She knew exactly what she wanted to share and what she didn't want to share with them. Finally she heaved a sigh.

"Look, I'm no more of a threat to you then a piece of lint. Not as long as you're no threat to me. I have no idea how I got here, or why I'm here. The last thing I remember was driving home and another car ramming my driver side door. After that it's a lot of pain, my back hitting a lot of things firm and solid, that gave away under my weight until I hit bottom, and then nothing. Yeah I know a lot, and believe me the reason for that should have me in an emotional and mental turmoil at the moment. But I've never been a normal one. The point is, I'm not a threat to you, and you are hurting me." she said, her eyes fixing on Maddox at the last sentence.

Maddox glanced at his friends, finally settling his eyes on Lucien. Lucien was watching the girl, trying to judge whether she was speaking the truth or not. She didn't seem to be lying. Looking into those oddly colored eyes, he could almost see the truth there. Lucien gave Maddox a nod and the warrior released her, sitting her back on the bed. Isolde heaved a thankful sigh, turning her arms to look at the small cuts Maddox's claws had made in her skin.

"You say you are no threat. We will see about that. But how are you able to heal so quickly. You have broken bones that healed in the course of days." Lucien said.

"Now that, I don't know. I've never healed that fast before. Wish I had. Would have made my childhood a lot easier." Isolde said in answer, deeming her arms fine enough to leave alone.

"And how old are you?" Paris asked.

"What does that have to do with the price of beans in China?"

Six pairs of eyes stared at her in confusion. Isolde's shoulders sagged and another sigh left her as she scrubbed a hand over her face.

"I'm going to have to cut the slang and lingo with the six of you, it seems. What I meant is, what does my age have to do with anything." Isolde clarified.

"Just curious. You look like you are seventeen." Paris replied.

Another curt laugh left Isolde as she shook her head.

"Thanks for telling me I look like a child. I'm twenty, not seventeen." Isolde replied.

"To us, you are still a child." Maddox said, getting to his feet.

"And you're a hulking mass of bone breaking muscle with a bad attitude and an annoying foul mood. Tell me something I don't know." Isolde smarted off.

Maddox looked up at the ceiling as if praying for patience with this woman. Paris and Torin were amused, watching her, while Reyes and Aeron, for the most part, were quiet. Lucien was just watching the girl closely.

"The real question now is what do you plan to do with me." Isolde said, crossing her legs, propping an elbow on the top knee, and dropping her chin into the awaiting palm.

"You are not going to try to escape us?" Paris asked.

"Lets see. There's six of you and one of me, you out size me, are stronger and have all my weapons, this place is wired from head to toe in countless, freaking cameras and traps, is monitored nearly 24/7 by Torin, and I'm pretty sure I'm a couple stories up off the ground, and the moment you leave this room, I know you're going to lock the door, which I can't pick without my lock picks, which you took. So escape? That would be a waste of my time and I don't waste my time if I can help it." Isolde replied.

Silence once again met her comment as the six stared at the girl.

"Alright, so she does know a bit about us." Torin remarked.

"That's what I told you. Now can you tell me where my clothes are?" Isolde asked.

"They were ripped beyond repair." Lucien told her.

At this Isolde's shoulders sagged and she heaved a sigh.

"And those were my favorite stockings." she remarked. "Did my gloves or boots at least survive?"

Lucien shook his head and Isolde hung her head with a groan.

"Its just clothes." Paris remarked.

"If you knew my life, you would know how hard, good and new clothes are to get. That was one of the few good outfits I had." Isolde replied, running a hand through her hair.

"Your husband does not take care of you?" Maddox asked.

Isolde gave him a look that was a mix of confusion and annoyance.

"Excuse me? For one, I take care of myself. I have to. And for two, I don't have a husband. I'm only twenty. What on earth gave you that idea?" Isolde asked.

Paris pointed to his left ring finger. Isolde looked down at her hand, seeing the silver band still resting there. Seeing it, she scoffed.

"Its not a wedding ring. It's on backwards." Isolde said, turning the ring around.

What had looked like a wedding band turned out to be a silver ring with a red stone set in the middle and twining butterflies and dragons etched into the metal on either side of the stone. She held up her hand for them to see.

"I'm as single as they come. This, when turned around as you saw, keeps the men at bay. Most anyway. Some presist anyhow. Apparently marriage doesn't mean anything to some people now a days." Isolde said.

"Does that include you?" Paris asked.

"Hey, I just fake being married. I'm not an actual home wrecker." Isolde replied.

Lucien shared a look with his friends as Paris teased Isolde, keeping her attention on him and not on his friends. Torin nodded and left the room. Reyes followed with Aeron and Maddox. When the last of the four stepped out the door, Isolde stopped throwing teases and insults back at Paris long enough to look up.

"Let me guess, this is the part where you threaten me to sit here, be a good girl, be quiet, and lock me in the room." Isolde remarked. "If so, may I suggest something."

Lucien raised an eyebrow at her as Paris joined him near the door.

"If you're going to lock me in here and expect me to be a good girl then at least leave me with something to do. Books to read or material for write. Something." she said in answer to his questioning look.

"We will bring something." Lucien agree, following Paris out of the room and yanking the door close.

Before they could walk away from the locked door they heard Isolde call, "I know Paris reads romance books." through the door. Paris chuckled as they walked away.

"She's amusing." Paris remarked.

"Good. You get to see to her then." Lucien replied.

END


	2. Goodbye Pan, Hello Fire

Author's Note:

Hello again, everyone! As you can see, I update very fast. Sometimes. The truth is, I already had the first ten or so chapters typed up before I decided to post this story. So I will probably update quite a few chapters in the next few hours. Please enjoy and do not forget to review for me. Please and thank you! As always, I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series, or any of it characters. I only own my dear, sassy and sarcastic OC, Isolde.

Chapter 2 Goodbye Pan, Hello Fire

SHE PROBABLY SHOULD have been more freaked out by this whole situation but Isolde couldn't bring herself to really freak out about how she came to be in her favorite book. Part of it was because she didn't want to scrape up the energy to do so and part of it was because she was actually enjoying this.

No instead she was freaking out because she actually got her wish. Though now that she thought about it, there were a lot of down sides to this. For one, she would now find herself in the middle of a war with the Hunters, in which she could and would get hurt. For two she had to arrive before Ashlyn which put her in the presence of a constantly cranky Maddox. And for three, she knew she couldn't share with them what she knew. That would change the whole line of the book series.

Isolde would rather keep her information to herself and follow the series, which meant she would know what was going to happen and when, rather then deviate from the set course into unknown territory where she could possibly be killed.

But she knew that freaking out about the whole thing would do her no good. So she started by exploring the room she had been left in. It was a simple room with bare wall painted an off-white, beige carpeted floors, a simple four poster, queen size bed, a vanity, a table with two chairs, an attached bathroom, and an empty closet. The only part of the room she liked was the window seat in front of a bay window.

When Paris brought her a couple of his romance novels and food, Isolde ignored the food and sat in the window seat to read. She was still there, reading through her third book when Lucien stepped into the room with another tray of food and a bag in his hand, seven hours later.

The scarred man looked at the untouched food on the table before focusing his attention on the young woman in the window seat, flipping a page in her book.

"You did not eat." he stated.

"Not hungry." was her simple reply. "Did you know that these books of your friend's are extremely detailed? I should have suspected so, giving his demon."

Lucien didn't look convinced, but Isolde didn't insist. She simply flipped another page in the book and continued reading. Lucien sat the new tray of food on the table. For all he knew, her stomach could be lagging behind and she honestly wasn't hungry. Her appetite would catch up with her sooner or later. Instead of pressing the issue, he walked over to the bed, sitting the bag on the mattress, finally catching Isolde's attention and drawing it away from the book in her hand.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Clothes for you. You cannot live in our clothes. They are too big. Torin picked them out and Paris picked them up." Lucien told her.

"Wouldn't have it if you'd let me leave." she muttered.

Lucien shot her a look that said, plain and clear, that he wasn't going to have this conversation with her...again.

Marking her place in the book, she sat it aside and climbed out of the window seat. Without any fear of the scarred warrior, she approached the bed and opened the bag. She pulled out each piece of clothing.

An emerald green halter style top with a black, silk ribbon empire waist paired with a black school girl type skirt that would just hit her thighs. Stockings that matched the top in color had ribbon bows of black silk at the top from which hung more ribbons and butterfly charms. Paired with it all were a pair of knee high boots that laced up the sides with more of those black silk ribbons. Isolde pulled out a pair of a pale vermilion red, lace underwear with a matching, strapless bra and several hair ribbons and other things to be used for pulling her hair back or decorating it. There was another three more pairs of biker mitts, these in green, blue, and red, and even a few bracelets and sets of earrings.

Isolde looked it all over before carefully packing it all back into the bag. She didn't say a word until she had it all back in the bag.

"I can't accept this."

Lucien raised an eyebrow at her as she set the bag at the foot of the bed, in front of him.

"It was bought for you." he told her.

"Exactly. Don't waste your money on me. I'm not a charity case." Isolde told him before retreating back to her seat at the window. "I know you and your friends put money into the community here, but I don't want anyone wasting a single bit of their money on me."

Isolde sat down on the window seat and swung her legs back up, reaching for the book she had sat down.

"Is there something wrong with the clothes?" Lucien asked, watching her with those mismatched eyes.

Isolde shook her head, but didn't look up at him.

"There's nothing wrong with them. I just won't accept them. I take care of myself. I have to."

That was twice she had said that and Lucien didn't fail to notice neither. Isolde stubbornly refused to discuss it or say anymore. She thanked him for the thought, but returned to the book in her hands. Lucien stared at her for a moment before nodding. He wouldn't take the clothes back. She would need to change soon enough. So he left the clothes sitting on the bed.

"Eat." he told her as he left the room.

Isolde looked up as the door closed and the lock tumbled into place. Her eyes focused in on the bag. She couldn't and wouldn't accept it. Lucien and his friends were too giving and kind, no matter how they acted, but Isolde couldn't accept there kindness. She didn't know how. She had had to take care of herself for far too long. Accepting someone else help was out of the question. She would never again be someone's else burden.

Never again.

-0-0-0-0-

LUCIEN WAS RUBBING his temples when he entered the entertainment room where the others were gathered. Aeron and Maddox were playing pool, Paris was watching another of his flesh movies, Reyes was working over a punching bag, and Torin was messing with a computer monitor in the corner. Paris looked up when Lucien sank into one of the armchairs.

"How did she like the clothes?" Paris asked.

"She would not accept them." Lucien replied.

All five of his friends looked up, Paris actually hitting pause on the movie so he could focus his attention on Lucien.

"Why?" Paris asked.

"She said she is not a charity case and cannot accept them. That she will take care of herself because she has to and we are not to waste our money on her." Lucien said, repeating the reasons the girl had given him.

"Charity case? She sees it as being treated like a charity case?" Torin asked.

"I believe it might be that she has had to take care of herself for so long that she does not know how to accept a gift when presented with one. She does not wish to be another's burden." Lucien replied. "She had also not touched a single bit of the food Paris took her hours ago."

"If she does not want the clothes or the food, that is her choice." Aeron said.

"If she dies of her own accord, it might be easier for us. We cannot let her go. She knows too much." Reyes said, landing a few more solid punches in the punching bag.

"Would your conscious be clean if she did, my friend?" Lucien asked.

Reyes paused in mid swing, thinking that over before gritting out a rough, "No" and landing another, harder punch to the bag.

"I couldn't find anything about her on the internet either. No matter where I looked, I couldn't find a thing." Torin added.

So far they new next to nothing about the girl. Either she had not given them her real name or she really wasn't human. In which case getting more information on her would be even harder. And she wasn't sharing.

" I am not too surprised. I do not know how it is for the rest of you, though, but my demon actually seem intrigued with her." Lucien said.

"Mine was banging at the back of my head the whole time, trying to get far away from her. Violence is not sure how to face her." Maddox replied.

"Pain is the same way. He keeps repeating "Too much pain", though I do not see how that is possible." Reyes said.

"Wrath, for once, was not showing me her sins. It was as if the girl has no sins. All he could say was, "She knows". Knows what?" Aeron asked.

"Mine said something along the same thing." Lucien told Aeron.

"Mine could not decide if it wanted to touch her or wanted as far away from her as it could get. It kept bouncing back and forth between the two." Torin pipped in.

"Sex is hesitant to touch her. Almost as if he can't decide on rather or not it would be a good idea. He, of course, still wants her." Paris added in.

"Our demons are reacting unusually to her, we have no idea how she knows what she knows, and she knows a fair amount about our past, our present, and, according to her, our futures. We cannot let her go and depending on what she does know, we cannot let her die." Lucien said, rubbing at his temples again.

"Are you suggesting we force feed her?" Aeron asked.

"If need be." Lucien agreed.

"That will go over wonderfully with her, I'm sure." Paris retorted, making Lucien throw him a look.

Lucien glanced up at the clock on the wall then.

"Maddox." he said gently.

"I know." Maddox replied, his teeth gritted together.

It was closing in on eleven and within the next half hour, he would start to feel the pains that led up to his death curse.

"She knows about Maddox's death curse, this Isolde, but I wonder how she will take hearing it for herself." Paris wondered.

All five of his friends tensed up. None of them had thought about that. Isolde would hear Maddox's screams even from her room. Isolde acted mature and beyond her age, but even she would not be able to hear the screams and be unfazed by it.

"I will check on her afterward." Lucien said.

His friends nodded. Isolde didn't seem like the type to need being babied, but it hurt even them to hear the screams. Then again Maddox was their friend. They would just have to wait to see how she reacted. They would find out in the next two hours.

-0-0-0-0-

THE LIGHTS WERE off when Lucien opened Isolde's door. Despite that, he could make out the form of Isolde on the bed. She was sitting up, so Lucien reached out and flipped on the lights. The girl was sitting on the bed, her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her thighs, and her chin resting on her knees. She blinked a few times when the lights came on but didn't move from her position. Those oddly colored eyes came up to look at Lucien, who had stopped in the doorway, before going back to looking at her bare feet.

"You know, knowing about the curse and hearing it for myself are two completely different things. I think I finally understand how difficult it must be for you and Reyes to have to do that to Maddox." she said softly, her voice carrying a hint of true sympathy.

There were no hints of fear or anything besides the sympathy, really. It wasn't the reaction that Lucien had expected. His eyes though snagged on the table. The food was still untouched and the bag of clothes sat beside the trays of food, all untouched. Lucien closed the door before claiming one of the two chairs at the table to sit in.

"You still have not eaten." he pointed out.

"I'm still not hungry." she replied.

"Even if you are not hungry, you must eat."

Isolde shook her head before uncurling herself and easing herself off the bed. She walked over to the table, stopping on the opposite side of the table from him.

"Alright, let me put it this way. See this?" Isolde asked, pointing to the herbal bread that had been used on both of the sandwiches that had been brought to her.

"This is rosemary." she added.

"I see." Lucien said.

"I'm allergic to rosemary. Unless you want to try to handle my throat swelling close, I won't be eating it." she told him.

Well that explained that. It hadn't been that she didn't want to eat, she couldn't eat it. At least now he knew what they needed to change to get her to eat. With that explained, Isolde retreated to the bed once more, perching on the edge of the mattress.

"You and your friends should consider learning to make more then just sandwiches." she added.

Lucien didn't bother pointing out that they were six men who pretty much did for themselves. Quick to make sandwiches and other things like that was about all they ate. Food was food.

"Was there something you wanted, Lucien?"

Lucien looked up at Isolde who was watching him with those knowing eyes. He was surprised to find that sky blue was bleeding into the vermilion, little bits of it snaking across the vermilion to the pupils. The knowledge in that gaze was enough to rock a man's soul. Just what the burden of that knowledge was, he didn't want to know.

"No." he told her.

He wouldn't tell her that he had come to check on her. To see how she had handled hearing the screams of Maddox's death curse. Aside from the sympathy towards him and his friends, he hadn't seen any other affects from it. As he looked at her concern bled into her eyes.

"Lucien, would it make you feel better if I told you that Maddox will not always suffer like this? That soon you and Reyes will be freed as well?" she asked.

Lucien shifted in his seat, sitting forward at this. He eyed her intently. She knew something. But from her words he couldn't tell if this meant that Maddox would be freed or that Maddox would die. For good.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

A sad look cross her face, her eyes apologizing before the words ever left her mouth.

"Sadly I can't tell you anymore then this. I'm sorry. If I were to tell you anymore it would change the line of events. Everything must stay as it is for the final outcome to come true. An outcome that needs to come true." she told him.

She wouldn't tell him more. No matter what he did, she wouldn't. She believed too heavily in the future she knew and would do nothing to change it. Whether that was a future in his and his friends' favor was yet to be seen.

"At least tell me, will Maddox live?" Lucien asked.

"Everything lives, even after death, Lucien. Nothing of the spirit truly dies." she replied.

That didn't tell him anything.

"Will he live here. With us?" he asked.

"He will live. But not without heartache first. You will see. Soon." she told him.

"What do you mean?" Lucien asked.

Isolde heaved a sigh, her eyes turning away from him to fix somewhere in the distance, her eyes turning distant in their sadness.

"Everything comes at a price, Lucien. Sacrifice in its greatest form. Nothing in this world if free. To get, you have to be willing to give a lot first. Its part of the reason I won't take. What I might have to give in return could be far greater then I could offer." she said softly.

The sadness in her...Lucien had seen few others with that kind of sadness. It suggested that at one time she had had all the world could offer her and she had had to give it up in favor of something else. What that was, was a mystery to him and he doubted she would be willing to tell him.

"For his freedom, Maddox will pay a price. He will lose what he loves the most. And you will play a part in it." she told him.

"Are you saying I will die?" he asked.

Isolde shook her head.

"Oh no. You will have a price to pay yourself, but that will be afterward. You will see." she told him.

Isolde eased herself further up on the bed, leaning back into the pillows. She crossed her arms over her middle, watching him.

"Accepting these clothes will not require a price in return. If anything it would be our price for keeping you here." Lucien told her.

Isolde shook her head, a grin on her face.

"Are you trying to turn my words against me?" she asked, humor lacing her words.

"If it will get you into proper clothes and out of Reyes' shirt, then I will." Lucien replied.

Isolde pulled at the front of the shirt, looking down at it.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't give this back. It makes a good night shirt." she told him.

Lucien shook his head. She wasn't going to give in easily. It looked like Reyes wasn't going to get his shirt back anytime soon. If ever.

"Look Lucien, I have a reason for the things I do. If I start accepting things from anyone, then I'm nothing more then a burden or a leech. I won't be that way. And I'm horribly stubborn. Save yourself the time." she told him.

Meaning she wouldn't accept anything from them. She would rather waste away into nothing, then accept anything and be a burden to others. Lucien heaved a sigh. She was going to go down swinging in this argument.

"You are going to force us to put you in those clothes forcibly, are you not?" he asked, rubbing at his temples.

"Only if you can catch me."

Lucien looked up at Isolde, who gave him a wide grin in reply.

"I can guarantee you, it would take more then two of you to do it too. And I would go down, kicking and clawing for all I'm worth. I might even throw in a few low blows." she added.

Another one of those wide grins spread across her face. He could see the promise in those two toned eyes that if they did, in fact, try to forcibly put her in the clothes, she was going to make sure their balls were relocated.

"I will keep that in mind." Lucien said as he got to his feet.

"Please do."

Lucien gathered up the food trays, leaving the bag of clothes behind, and moved to leave the room.

"Lucien."

Lucien turned to look at Isolde. The grin was gone from her face as she looked at him.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Lucien asked.

"That you have to do what you have to do. No one should be forced to do something like that to one of their best friends. For that, I'm sorry."

Lucien stared at Isolde for a moment before nodding. There wasn't really anything he could say to her. The sympathy, concern, and kindness were genuine. He could see it in her eyes. But if she was right, then soon it would be all over and Maddox would be free.

"Good night, Lucien."

"Good night, Isolde. We will discuss the clothes again." he told her.

"I have no doubt."

With that, Lucien left Isolde to get some sleep, closing and locking the door behind him. He would have to share with the others what she had told him about Maddox's curse. He just hoped the price she said he would have to pay, wouldn't be so great of one.

END


	3. Deal With Death

Author's Note:

Hello again, dear readers. It took me a little while to get this chapter done. I apologize for that. Busy nights and all that jazz. But I should have another two or three chapters up tonight. So please review and enjoy to your heart's content. So without any further adieu, I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or any of it's characters. Please enjoy.

Chapter 3 Deal With Death

MORNING FOUND MADDOX in his usual sour mood. In the course of the first hour after awaking in his newly healed body, Maddox had put three holes in a wall, giving Aeron more to clean and his own self more to repair. Paris had checked in on Isolde that morning to find the girl still asleep. He had left her alone and returned to entertainment room where Lucien had something to tell them all. What he had to tell them surprised them all.

"She said what?" Maddox asked.

"She would not give me any more information then that. She claimed that it would effect the flow of events and that that could be disastrous for the outcome she knows." Lucien explained.

"Depending on what this price is, it's a good thing. Right?" Paris asked.

"Potentiality." Reyes agreed.

"She didn't say when?" Maddox asked.

Lucien shook his head.

"She only said that it would be soon." Lucien told them.

"She does not seem to be the type to tell if she believes it will not end well." Torin remarked from his corner.

"We will find out." Lucien said.

"In the mean time, how did it go getting her to agree to wear the clothes?" Paris asked.

Lucien heaved a sigh, leaning back in his seat, nursing a glass of ambrosia laced whiskey in his hands.

"She would prefer to continue wearing Reyes' shirt then to accept the clothing we have given her." Lucien told them.

"Why?" Paris asked, his eyes glued to the screen where a flesh fest played.

"She said to start accepting things now would make her a burden or a leech and she does not wish to be either." Lucien replied.

"That's ridiculous." Maddox growled, pocketing another ball and straightening to let Aeron take his shot.

"Maybe to you."

All six men whipped around. Standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest and a hip propped against the door jam, was Isolde. Paris, when he realized who it was, hit pause on his movie. Her eyes were scanning the room, taking it in. She was still barefoot, still wearing nothing by the over sized, black T-shirt.

"Just as I remembered. All red furniture." she mused, looking around.

"How did you get out of your room!?" Aeron asked.

"You'd be surprised what someone can use to pick a lock. You should really consider updating the locks on your doors. The tumble systems are far to easy to trigger." Isolde replied.

"You didn't try to escape?" Paris asked.

"I told you, there's no point in it. Even if Torin isn't in his room watching his monitors, I still wouldn't have gotten half way down the hill before you caught me. I know, roughly, where all the traps on the hill are, but it would still be slow going for me. You would fly through it in a breeze. Fly in a literal sense for Aeron. No point in trying just to anger the six of you." she replied.

Finally her eyes locked in on the six warriors. She tilted her head to the side, watching them. None of them moved from their spots and she didn't move from hers.

"Or are you angry with me now? Its not like I went through any of your things. I just don't like being confined to a single room and I finished all the books, Paris gave me, so I was bored." she told them.

"Already? I gave you fifteen." Paris said in disbelief.

"I'm a fast reader."

Silence followed by stares. It seemed that that was all she got from them. Apparently they had never had to deal with someone like her in all of their long centuries. It was both a good thing and a bad. Good in the sense that she could keep them off guard simply because they had no idea how to handle her, bad in the sense that it might set them off easier.

"Look, I'm a working girl. I work my days in and days out with only four hours of sleep in between. If I don't have something to do, I get jittery. If I'm going to be stuck here, at least give me some work to do. You could use a feminine touch around this place instead of leaving all of the cleaning up to poor Aeron." she told them.

"Work? You want to clean, and cook, and do all the womanly chores of the house?" Paris asked, a grin on his face.

"Now hold on a second. Men can do all the same chores as women and the same vise versa. For you information I can do carpentry and electrical wiring too. But I absolutely won't do laundry, simply because I will not handle your underwear. For those of you who actually wear it." Isolde said, her eyes fixing on Paris with the last comment.

Paris' grin grew. The girl was pleading the case that men and women were equal in every way. And only to turn around and tell them that she wouldn't be touching their laundry. That handling their underwear was a step too far for her. Lucien eyed her for a long moment. Obviously, locking her back in her room would be a waste of time. She would just pick the lock again the moment she was bored. By letting her to work around the fortress it would keep her busy and, if Lucien played it right, he could get her to accept things from them.

"Let us make a deal, Isolde." Lucien said.

Isolde raised an eyebrow, a suspicious look crossing her face as she eyed him. Her eyes narrowed as her head rocked back so she was looking down her nose at him. She wasn't an idiot. She could see the gears turning in his head, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"I'm listening." she agreed.

"We will give you work to do around the fortress, as long as it is **inside** the fortress. In exchange you must accept anything we give you. As a form of payment." Lucien told her.

Isolde's mouth twisted as she considered this. Lucien had just played a card she couldn't trump. That didn't stop her from trying though. She ran thought after thought through her head, tried her damnest, but couldn't come up with anything. Finally her nose wrinkled and she looked like she was about to curse darkly. Instead she huffed.

"Damn, you're a clever man." she conceded finally.

Lucien bowed his head in acknowledgement. Unless she flat out refused, which would end her locked back up, she had no other way out of it. She would have to agree if she wanted freedom to roam and something to do.

"Fine, I agree. But I reserve the right to refuse something I believe is too much." she said finally.

"You may reserve the right to argue the case." Lucien told her.

Isolde heaved a sigh, leaning heavily against the door jam.

"And who, pray tell, is going to be the third party who choice who is the winner in those arguments?" she asked.

"The others here." Lucien told her.

"No fair! They will side with you every time! I will never win a single one. It would be favoritism in it's purest form." Isolde argued.

"That would be the point." Lucien admitted.

A frown tugged down the corners of her mouth. She was close to a pout, but reigned herself in before she could.

"Cheeky bastard." she muttered. "I don't suppose I have a choice, do I?"

Lucien shook his head. For a moment, Isolde's eyes went to ceiling as if she was praying to the gods, before she heaved a sigh.

"Fine. But I want to be able to pick my own room and have the right to decorate it as I please." she said.

"Go shower and change and you have a deal." Lucien told her.

Isolde pushed herself off the door jam, arms still crossed over her chest.

"Alright, but I'm not giving back this shirt." she retorted before turning on her heels and walking away. Paris and Torin both were chuckling by this point, completely amused by the little girl that had become their new house mate.

"That was my shirt, was it not?" Reyes asked.

"It was. She said last night that it was comfortable to sleep in." Lucien replied.

Aeron sat down his pool stick and turned on Lucien.

"Do you really think that this is the best idea?" Aeron asked.

"Torin can watch her, but if it will keep her preoccupied, then I do not see why not." Lucien replied.

"She could be Bait." Aeron said.

"If so, she would not have let us know she could escape the room. She would have done so while we slept." Lucien replied.

Seeing reason in that Aeron conceded, grumbling to himself.

"Look at it this way. You now have a little housekeeping helper." Paris told Aeron, who shot him a glare.

They all knew that Aeron didn't like the fact that he had been stuck with housekeeping. To have a female helper, he should have been glad.

"We will just keep a close eye on her." Lucien said.

They left it at that and returned to what they were doing. An hour later, Isolde stepped back into the room, newly showered and wearing the clothes they had bought for her. Paris hit pause on his movie again, all six males turning to look at her. The clothes fit her perfectly and she had paired it with the green gloves. Her hair was pulled back and tied at her nape with a black ribbon and looked silky and soft after the shower.

"Do you know that your fridge is next to empty?" she asked the moment she stepped into the room.

All eyes turned to Paris.

"I...got busy and forgot to get groceries yesterday." he said.

"Gee, I wonder what could have diverted your attention." Isolde said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Why were you in the kitchen anyway?" Paris asked.

"I was looking to see what you had, to see what I could possibly cook." she replied.

All six turned to look at her at that. Isolde raised an eyebrow when she saw those looks on their faces.

"What's with the looks?" she asked.

"You can cook?" Reyes asked.

"I'm a twenty year old woman who has lived alone since she was eleven and my former job was a cook for a four star restaurant. Yeah, I can cook. Why?" she asked.

"That's great. You get to cook dinner then." Paris said, leaning back in his seat.

"Cook for six, hulking men who have the metabolism of five years olds. Lovely. Sounds like a fun time." Isolde replied.

Once again sarcasm leaked from her words. Paris raised an eyebrow at her, silently asking her what was with the sarcasm. Isolde didn't even pretend to misunderstand what the look meant.

"Sarcasm is second nature to me. Its either that or snark and cursing. Believe me, you don't want to see the latter. Its more laughable then anything else." she replied.

Isolde peered over at the pool table where Maddox was debating what shot to take next. She eyed the balls as she walked up to the table.

"Bounce the nine ball off the side there and you'll sink the five ball in the corner pocket." she told Maddox.

Maddox looked up at her, but didn't question it. He angled the pool stick, hitting the ball as she had told him. Sure enough the nine ball bounced off where she had suggested and sunk the five ball in the corner pocket. Aeron frowned as a grin spread across Maddox's face.

"I can point one out for you too if you want." Isolde offered Aeron.

"No." Maddox said instantly.

He pulled Isolde to his side of the pool table and gave Aeron a pointed look. The two got into an argument about fairness while Isolde shook her head and slipped away from them. It was then her eyes snagged on the TV. Isolde came to a halt, looking up at the screen. Paris instantly switched the screen off and Isolde raised an eyebrow at him.

"You really think of me as a child, don't you?" she asked Paris, who shrugged. "I've seen dirtier things then that living with my last roommate."

Paris shrugged once again, flipped the TV back on, and hit play. Isolde rolled her eyes as she perched herself on the arm of Lucien's chair. The man let her, simply moving his arm out of the way for her. Torin looked her over with a smile on his face and a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"I'm glad to see the clothes look good on you." he said.

"Yeah, I'm not even going to bother asking how you knew my sizes. Though I have to ask why you have to pick something that matches my eyes in color." Isolde said.

Torin raised a question brow, confusion in his eyes. Paris piped in then.

"No, actually that part was my choice." he said.

"I should have known. Well for future reference, I'm not particularly fond of skirts, I won't do heels unless their wedges, and while I like lace, I don't like it in underwear. Thanks Paris, but no thanks. And nothing pink or yellow." Isolde said.

Maddox, Aeron, and Reyes all stopped what they were doing and looked from Isolde to Paris at the mention of lace and the impression that Paris had bought her lacy underwear. Paris simply grinned, his eyes glued to the TV.

"But back to the original subject. If you want me to cook, Paris, you have to get up and go buy food." Isolde said.

Paris obviously didn't take the hint and continued staring at the TV screen. Isolde rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, as if praying for patience or maybe even a bolt of lightning to jolt him into gear. Finally she fixed her eyes back on Paris, crossing her legs and folding her hands neatly over her knee.

"You know its a holiday weekend in the States and Budapest happens to be one of the top vacation spots for Americans. More then likely the town will be crawling new, beautiful women right about now." Isolde said.

Paris was on his feet instantly and heading for the doorway.

"I'm going shopping." he called over his shoulder.

And then he was gone. Isolde grinned to herself in victory as the others looked at her. Isolde gave them a wink.

"Hey, at least he gets both sources of food that he needs." she remarked before hopping off the arm of the chair.

"Is it really a holiday weekend in the States?" Torin asked.

"Last I checked, yes." she replied.

"Speaking of which, what are you? Nationality speaking." Reyes asked.

"What do I look like to you?" Isolde replied.

"American?" Reyes asked looking her over.

"No."

"You speak Hungarian perfectly, but you are not Hungarian, are you?" Maddox asked.

"I speak a lot of languages perfectly. Doesn't make me of that nationality. So no, not Hungarian." Isolde replied.

"A mix." Aeron stated.

"True but its not so many I can't keep track." Isolde replied.

"Amorette suggest French." Lucien said.

"Correct. My father was part French."

"High cheek bones, straight and proud nose. Native American?" Torin guessed.

"Correct again. Both of my parents had Native American in them."

"You would not be able to guess with eyes color." Maddox remarked.

"Yeah, I have no idea where my eye color came from. Every picture of my family I saw showed green and brown eyes." Isolde said.

"Your hair was obvious pale at one time...Russian?" Lucien asked.

"No. Actually my hair was white when I was born and that came from my mother. Ironically she came dark haired people." Isolde answered.

"Then just tell us." Aeron said.

"My father was Native American, Irish, and French. My mother was Native American, Australian, and Greek." she answered.

The remaining five men gave her a slow once over as if they were trying to peg the features in her that belong to each of the lineages she had listed. Eyes lingered in places they shouldn't for so long that Isolde rolled her eyes. She put her hands on her hips.

"Eyes are up here, fellas." she told him, pointing at her eyes.

Five pairs of eyes snapped up to her eyes and she shook her head again.

"That tells us what you are but not from where." Reyes said.

"I was born in my paternal grandmother's homeland, Ireland, was raised from two years old until six in my maternal grandfather's homeland, Greece, and was left in Australia from six to seventeen. At the age seventeen I moved to the States." Isolde replied.

"Left?" Torin asked.

"You know you could also use black for furniture too. Blood wouldn't show up on that." Isolde remarked, ignoring the question as she looked around the room.

She was obviously avoiding the question, acting as if she hadn't heard what Torin had just said. Aside from the topic of the future and what she knew about their's, Isolde had yet to refuse a topic of conversation. That she was refusing this one told them that this one was an uncomfortable one for her. Or at least not one she wanted to get into.

"Isolde-"

"Forget I said anything. Its not something I want to discuss. Ever." Isolde said, cutting off Maddox.

"Why?" Reyes asked.

Isolde was wandering around the room now, picking things up, looking at them, and setting them back where they belonged.

"Because I don't need more pity." she replied, picking of something that looked like a bejeweled urn, turning it in her hands.

"I've already had enough of that to last me twenty life times." she added, setting the urn back on it's shelf.

With that she walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Aeron asked.

"The kitchen. There were dishes in the sink. Might as well do something productive." Isolde replied over her shoulder before vanishing around the corner.

Isolde knew an awful lot about them. She hadn't yet shared how or why she knew what she knew, but that didn't change the knowledge she had. Yet when it came to her own life, she didn't want anyone knowing the details. Or anything for that matter. Her past was completely off limits. Just what it was in her past that she didn't want brought to life, they didn't know.

But one day they would find out.

END


	4. Chef Demon Whisperer

Author's Note: Hello again everyone. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to update. Busy, busy life and all that. Anyway, I do have some more chapters for you and will be updating all through the weekend. So please enjoy and review. And before anyone ask, yes I was cooking when I was writing this. I basically wrote the recipe as I was cooking it. I'm goofy that way. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or any of it's characters.

Chapter 4 Chef Demon Whisperer

Isolde had to wonder about Paris.

She had been in the kitchen sweeping and washing down counter top surfaces when Paris had come home from grocery shopping and...playmate shopping. When he had sat down the bags, she had instantly gone through them to see what he had bought. She stared down at the counter top where they had laid out the food and put her hands on her hips.

"Let me get this straight. You expect me to make you what you make yourself all the time. Sandwiches?" Isolde asked looking from the lunch meat, bread, lettuce, tomatoes, and other sandwich toppings.

There were bags of grapes and chips, and a few other snack foods too, which made Isolde's nose wrinkle up. As an actual former chef, this was an insult to her. Paris looked up at her as he sorted through things. The girl had one side of her mouth pulled back as she eyed the food.

"It's what we usually eat." Paris told her.

Isolde shook her head. No way was she going to except this. She was going to have to eat this stuff too and she wasn't going to do it.

"No wonder the six of you can eat enough to feed a whole town in the course of a week." she remarked. "And what is this?"

Isolde pulled a box out of the bag that was wrapped with a big red bow. She raised an eyebrow at Paris, who grinned back at her.

"Open it." he told her.

Having a bad feeling in her gut, Isolde sat the box on the counter and opened it. Out of it she pulled a black apron with a set of red lips printed on the front and the slogan _Kiss The Cook_ printed in white letter alongside those lips. Isolde rolled her eyes but she couldn't help the smile on her face as she looked at Paris.

"You are a silly man." she told him.

Paris shrugged his shoulders. At least he wasn't vain enough to deny it.

"If you are going to cook, you might as well have the right attire." he told her.

That earned him another eye roll from Isolde.

"Speaking of which."

Isolde started shifting through drawers until she found a notepad and a pen. She started writing things down on the paper as Paris watched, amused by just how distressed she was at the thought that all they ate was sandwiches and snack food.

"Alright. I know you just got back from town but take this and go buy what's on it. I might actually be able to make a proper meal with it." she said when she was done, ripping the paper free and holding it out to Paris.

The warrior took the paper and read the things listed on it. His eyebrow quirked up when he reached the bottom of the list.

"You need chocolate to cook?" he asked.

"Some recipes actually require chocolate, thank you very much!" Isolde told him.

"Like what?" Paris asked.

"Curry."

Paris chuckled but waved it off. Isolde seemed so serious about it that he just couldn't help but laugh at her a little. Isolde just shook her head at him.

"Are you going to make dessert too?" he asked.

"Not if you're going to continue to hang around." she replied.

Paris chuckled as he left, leaving her to put away what he had already bought. Isolde shook her head. Maybe one of these days they would trust her enough to let her go with Paris. Then she wouldn't have to write a list and could actually get enough for a few days rather than a day at a time. Then again Paris went to town every day, so it wasn't like it was an unnecessary trip.

Isolde started putting away the food and looked through what they did have in fridge. They had yellow onions, russet potatoes, and roma tomatoes. Paris would be bringing back another type of tomato that she would need, but for now she would start on the chopping. She put a bowl in the fridge to chill before she washed her hands and put on the apron Paris had bought her.

Isolde glanced down at the apron and made a face. Paris and his kinks. But an apron was an apron.

She found olive oil and butter and started melting the butter in a stockpot on the stove. While it melted she chopped the roma tomatoes, which she added to the melted butter along with olive oil. She let that sauté while she turned to the potatoes.

She peeled and cut the potatoes into small cubes, which she put into a pot of salted water to boil. Searching the cabinets she found the sugar, black pepper, and eggs she would need. She sat them out, adding sugar, salt and pepper to the tomatoes, and checked on her potatoes. She was separating egg whites when Paris came back into the kitchen, Reyes behind him, helping him to carry the bags.

"Just sit them on the counter, please." Isolde said over her shoulder as she removed the potatoes from the stove and drained them.

The two sat the bags on the counter, both deciding to claim a seat at the table to watch as Isolde put the potatoes in a large bowl. She turned to the bags, digging out the garlic powder, dried oregano, and dried thyme she had put on the list. She stirred in all three. She stood over that, stirring it until it was thick enough.

Taking a small spoon she tasted a bit of it, rolling the taste over her tongue before adding just a bit more salt. Tasting it again, she deemed it perfect and sat that aside with a lid on the pan.

She put another pot of water on the stove to boil. While that boiled, she fried bacon which she then cut into small pieces. She added that and the potatoes to a skillet, cooking it to a crisp. While that cook, she turned to her dessert. She preheated the oven and let that heat while she mixed two and one-fourth cups of flour, a fourth a cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, a teaspoon of baking soda, and salt together.

In a separate bowl she mixed sugar, honey, eggs, and vanilla, adding olive oil and half of the dry mixture. She stirred in buttermilk and the remaining dry mixture and poured into two, round cake pans. That went into the oven.

Removing the bowl she had chilled in the fridge, she combined cream, honey, and sour cream and whipped with an electric beater. That got sat in the fridge. She checked her bacon and potatoes before pulling out another saucepan in which she placed baking chocolate, whipping cream, and honey. She stirred it until it was smooth and adding in powdered sugar, blending until that too was smooth. That too went into the fridge.

By this point her water was boiling. She dropped the three cheese ravioli she had asked Paris to get into the water and let that cook while she combined salt, pepper, vinegar, sour cream, and Miracle Whip in a bowl. She added the potatoes, onions, and bacon, blending it all together. That went into a baking dish and into the oven.

That got left to cook while she removed the now cooked ravioli from the stove. She drained the water and pat the ravioli dry. Combining cheese, onion salt, and garlic salt into a bowl, she dipped each ravioli into the egg whites she had separated and then into the mixture. That went into a skillet to fry until crisp. She sat out seven plates on the counter, covering each in the tomato sauce she had made earlier. On top of that went the ravioli.

Ignoring the crowd she had gained as she cooked, Isolde sliced cherry tomatoes in half, adding basil and mozzarella balls. That went on top of the ravioli. That done she checked her the cake and potatoes. The cake was finished so she pulled it out. She wrapped both in plastic wrap and chilled in the fridge while returning to potatoes. They were hot and bubbly so she switched the heat to broil and waited until the cheese was browned. That done she sat it on the counter to cool.

She switched the oven back to bake, turning the heat up to 400. She rinsed mushrooms and removed the stems. She placed the mushrooms tops in a buttered baking dish and diced the remaining four mushrooms, stems and all. She melted butter in a heavy skillet to which she added the diced mushrooms to sauté, adding chopped onion, salt, and pepper. She kept a close eye on the mix, giving the pan a fancy flip, flipping the mixture in a flare that she had learned as a chef.

She let that sit while she diced green onions and mixed with pine nuts, bread crumbs, and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. She took that, and the sautéed mushrooms and stuffed the other mushrooms with the mixture. She put that in the baking dish, covered it and baked it.

Never stopping, she pulled the cakes out of the fridge. She placed one on a cake plate and topped it with the honey cream filling she had made. She put the second cake on top and lightly pressed the two together. She topped that off with the chocolate honey glaze and pat sliced almonds onto the sides for garnish. Right on time, the mushrooms finished. Setting out seven more, smaller plates, she put some of the potatoes and the mushrooms on them.

Done, and happy with what she had done she turned, opening her mouth, only for what she was about to say to die on her tongue when she spotted all six warriors sitting at the table, Torin as far from the others as he could get.

"How long have the six of you been there?" she asked.

"For the majority of the time. You are amusing to watch." Paris told her.

Isolde thought back, trying to pin point if she had seen them enter the kitchen or not. She hadn't noticed. Shrugging she turned to the plates.

"Well it saves me from having to track you down." she said, more to herself as she started picking up plates, expertly balancing six plates.

She brought the ravioli to them first and then the second plate. Still moving quickly, she sat out glasses for each of them, pour wine into all of them, except her own, which she filled with ice apple juice.

"You move like you have done this before." Reyes remarked.

"I worked various jobs in the food business for several years." she replied.

Isolde removed the apron, washed her hands, grabbed her own plates and joined them. The men looked down at the food before them.

"What is this?" Reyes asked.

"Caprese Ravioli, Hot German Potato Salad, Stuffed Italian Mushrooms, with a Chocolate Honey Cake for dessert." Isolde replied, picking up her glass to take a drink.

"Actual food that can't be carted around in a napkin or a foil bag." she added before taking a drink of her apple juice.

Each of the men took a bite, trying out the food and were surprised to find it tasted better then it sounded.

"This is good." Maddox said.

"Thank you. I guess my years wasting away in that restaurant paid off." Isolde remarked.

"You were a chef, right?" Paris asked.

"I was."

"What happened with the job?" Paris asked.

"I quit."

"Why?" Reyes asked.

"My boss was a sleaze bag with wandering hands. I'm not a pleasant person when I'm being touched in places that would make a nun faint." Isolde replied. "The pay was good, but that's something I won't put up with. So I quit...after I broke one of his hands with a cast iron skillet."

"A skillet?" Aeron asked, looking up at the girl.

"Never underestimate the damage an enraged female can cause with a cast iron skillet. Especially one who knows how to handle one. Considering what he had done to one of the waitresses, he got off easy. I could have hit him with one that had hot grease in it." Isolde told him, as she finally started eating.

She had realized how hungry she was until that first bite hit her tongue. It took all her self-control not to inhale her food. She made sure to eat slowly and to take drinks of her apple juice.

"Do you not drink?" Paris asked.

"For one, I'm underage. At least in the States I am. I don't know about here in Hungry. For two, I do, but you spike your liquor with ambrosia. I'm not willing to find out how that would affect me when my body seems to be changing up on me." she replied.

"What do you mean?" Lucien asked.

"Well technically speaking, I'm supposed to be human but as you pointed out, humans don't heal like I did. And it wasn't a fluke either. I cut myself pretty badly with a knife earlier when I was washing dishes and it healed in the matter of seconds. I'm not quite sure I'm human now, but I know how ambrosia effects humans and those are effects I'm not willing to deal with." Isolde replied.

"What kind of effects?" Maddox asked.

"You'll find out. Very soon." was all Isolde said.

Isolde would say no more on the subject that much they knew.

"This is strange. She could be Bait and yet here she sits." Aeron growled.

Isolde grinned at that.

"Think about it for just a moment, Aeron. Knowing what I know, don't you think the Hunters would have found you and done a lot more damage before I ever showed up? Not to mention that I haven't tried to seduce you like Bait do. I've just always been able to get along with people. Perhaps it's because I'm so straight forward most of the time." Isolde remarked.

"She does have a point." Torin conceded.

"Color me shocked. I actually make sense." Isolde muttered.

Torin turned his eyes on Isolde who was busy chewing and looking down at her plate like she hadn't just said something. The edges of her mouth were twitching in the beginnings of a smile.

"Perhaps it is your sparkling modesty that attracts others." Torin remarked.

"Hmm, that too. You know, Torin, not many people would recognize your sarcastic wit for what it is." Isolde replied.

"And what is that?" Torin asked.

"A desperate plea for people not to see the unicorn loving, pretty princess you keep below the surface."

Paris and Maddox snorted, Aeron and Reyes coughing as they either accidentally inhaled food or a drink. Even Lucien had to cover a sudden smile that lit his face. Isolde offered a brilliant smile to Torin who had lost his smile if not the wicked gleam to his eyes. It was obvious that the girl was joking, just poking at Torin as he had at her. With a wink at the white haired man, Isolde got to her feet, taking her empty plates with her. Stacking the plates, she collect theirs as well.

"Just know, no matter what sarcastic or witty comment you throw my way, I have a more biting one to toss back." Isolde told them before retreating to the sink with the plates.

Carefully she placed the plate in the sink and then cut seven pieces from the cake and put them on small plates. She served that to warriors and sat back down to eat her own piece.

"Was it a lot of practice that made you good at throwing them back or was it all natural?" Paris asked.

"A mix of both. I've learned that a well-placed sarcastic retort can win you any argument. It also insures that the other person cracks before you. Nobody stays patient around me if I want to be stubborn and sarcastic at the same time. Not my best trait, I admit." Isolde answered with a shrug.

"What is your best trait then?" Torin asked.

"That's easy...I don't have one." Isolde replied.

All six males looked at her as she ate her cake. She didn't seem upset by that, but she wasn't joking either. She was perfectly serious about believing that there was nothing good about her.

"There is nothing redeeming about my personality. I'm stubborn and sarcastic, straight forward and blunt, horribly self-absorbed, and I have an awful temper when stroked. I have a nasty habit of pushing people too far, I don't particularly care about others' opinions, I lack the finer emotions that make up a normal person, and I have no filter on my mouth. I'll lie to your face if I must, though I'm not fond of lying. It's a waste of time to try to remember the lie later on. I'm a disaster walking, horribly accident prone, I draw trouble like a light draws moths, which is probably how I ended up here to begin with. I've heard that I'm hater's dream. No class, white trash, and I kind of agree. So let's add low self-esteem to that as well."

Isolde shrugged as if everything she had just listed off wasn't completely awful. It made them wonder if she had told herself that, or if she had grown up being told that. Either way it was horribly self-destructive, and Isolde didn't seem to care.

"No wait, there is one good thing about me." Isolde said, as if in second thought. "I take care of myself. I don't need anyone else's help. Never have. So I'm self-sufficient. Then again that could always lead back to self-absorbed and selfish. So that turns around into a bad trait."

"I am sure there is something good about your personality." Lucien said.

Isolde gave it a little thought but shook her head.

"No, not really." she said, leaning back in her seat. "But please, don't bother trying to find something. I wouldn't believe you anyhow. At least I'm not jaded."

With that she got to her feet, taking empty plates. She cleared one side of the double sided sink and filled it with warm, soapy water, instantly getting to work on the dishes.

"But while we're on the subject, I'm not the only person in this room who thinks lowly of themselves." she said over her shoulder. "I can list at least five positive traits for each of you, which all of you would deny."

"Are you really going to offer us comfort after you just insisted that there is nothing good about you and that anything we say to the wiser is wrong?" Paris asked.

"Yeah, it's a bitch how that works, isn't it?" Isolde replied.

"A young woman like you should watch her mouth." Paris chided.

Isolde turned around to look at him, soap suds dripping from her hands.

"Shit, fuck, damn, ass, go to fucking hell, bitch. Better?" she asked.

Chuckles and grins came from the men as she turned back around to continue with dishes. She didn't seem the least bit ashamed for talking like that adding more to the sassy, sarcastic personality they were starting to associate with her.

"You know the last person who told me to watch my mouth was a Catholic nun." Isolde said over her shoulder.

"And how did she take that?" Paris asked.

"She fainted. And when she came to, she made it a point to tell me that I was going to hell." Isolde replied. "She didn't take it too well when I told her that, standing there listening to her lecture, I was already in hell."

"I suppose you were not allowed back in that church." Torin remarked.

"Considering I'm not Catholic to begin with...what do you think?"


	5. The Beginning

Athuor's Note: Welcome back, everyone! I have another chapter for all of you. And I have plenty more to come after this too. Some of which, are pretty long. I hope you all enjoy them and review! I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or any of it's characters. Heh! I have to be careful there...I almost typed "underwear" instead.

Chapter 5 The Beginning

The next month passed pretty easily.

Around week three the men completely relaxed around Isolde who had basically become a part of the household, which was looking better by the day, due to Isolde's extensive cleaning. She hadn't given them any reason not to trust her. At first Isolde had the feeling that they were just keeping her around so she wouldn't spill their secrets to the Hunters out of spite. Isolde had never been too much of a spiteful person. She did entertain a spiteful moment now and then, but that was with people she hated.

She didn't have any reason to hate them.

As the weeks moved on though-and they started spoiling her like a rotten child-that mindset change. Isolde didn't know what to do with the six of them. Every time she turned around, one of them was supplying her with something else she really didn't need under the guise that it was to repay her for all the hard work she was doing around the fortress.

Isolde called bull.

Not that she could say that to them. Lucien would just turn around and remind her of their deal. To which Isolde would curse. Around week three, she sort of gave up trying. Much to Paris' joy. The man seemed to enjoy it more than the others. He loved bringing home cute outfits or hair bows, things like that, that he thought would look adorable on her.

She felt like a little girl who had been taken in and spoiled. Isolde finally got up the nerve to ask him if he thought she was a child. To which he, happily, replied that in his eyes...she was a child.

Isolde had promptly slapped him.

Paris took it though because she was their "baby girl" and sucked up to her for the rest of the day. She had been half tempted to make him beg for her forgiveness, but, for one, she wasn't that mean, and for two...she was pretty sure he wouldn't do it.

She had finally chosen a room on a hall completely uninhabited by the warriors and with the help of Paris and Torin, had completely redecorated the room after a couple of hours cleaning up the cobweb invested space.

A new, four poster bed with a canopy of sheer red curtains, a comforter of a dark blue with pale blue butterflies splashed across it, and pillows of black, an L-shaped desk that housed a new laptop, a printer, and two other monitors with attached keyboards, a vanity that, due to the spoils of all six men, now house an array of hair decorations, a polish oak jewelry box, and other trinkets, a stereo system, and a TV.

Add in all the decorations that she, herself had picked and a whole, brand new wardrobe they had bought her and the room was looking more and more like the one she had only dreamed she would own. Of course she had only accepted the gifts from the men because she was cleaning their fortress and cooking their meals. Otherwise she wouldn't have.

The men had grown to trust Isolde more and she was now allowed to go into town with Paris. She always asked first though, just so they wouldn't think she was taking advantage of them, and she only left Paris' side when he found a lady companion to feed his demon. Then she would wonder shops, always keeping an eye out for men with infinity tattoos on their wrist. She was waiting for that first sign that Ashlyn was about to enter the picture. She knew then that the real story would start.

But for today, she found herself entering the entertainment room to find only Lucien and Paris there.

"Morning, Lucien, Paris." she greeted them, perching herself on the arm of Lucien's chair.

As always, Lucien moved his arm out of the way, to make room for her. He didn't seem to mind the closeness and Isolde didn't stop to ask if he did.

It was either that or sit on the couch neck to Paris who was watching one of his flesh feast movies.

Paris tore his gaze away from the TV screen long enough to greet her in return then his eyes returned to the TV screen. Isolde shook her head but didn't say anything.

"Lucien, can I go into town with Paris today? I need to pick up some more things for dinner." Isolde said, looking down at the scarred male.

It seemed that their demons had come to accept her as well, for they didn't give the warriors the fits they had when she had first appeared in the fortress. Which she was still questioning how that had come to be. Hell, she still hadn't figured out most of this. If she thought too long on it, she gave herself a headache. Which was often. She had pretty much given up trying to figure it out.

The point was the warriors had no problem getting close to her, Torin being the exception of course. At the moment, Lucien was even petting her hair idly as if he was a father stroking his daughter's head. Something Isolde was eating up like a starving child.

"I do not mind. As I have told you before, you do not have to ask me every time." Lucien told her.

Isolde shrugged it away.

"I don't want any of you feeling like I'm taking advantage of you." she replied.

"You are not. Just be careful." Lucien told her.

Isolde nodded. On the TV, Paris' movie came to an end and the warrior flipped off the TV and stood. Isolde watched as he stretched. Though Paris wasn't her type in guys-that type being no type-she could appreciate the ripple of muscle under flawless skin.

Not that she would tell **him** that.

"Might as well get a head start." he said, popping his neck.

He turned a smile on Isolde and clapped his hands.

"Ready, baby girl?" he asked.

Baby girl.

About two weeks ago, most of the men had started calling her that, as if they truly saw her as a daughter. Isolde didn't mind. She actually kind of liked it. Endearments like that had been sorely lacking in her childhood home.

"Ready when you are." she replied, getting to her feet.

"See you later, Lucien." she called over her shoulder.

Lucien waved as Isolde followed Paris out of the entertainment room. Paris instantly slung his arm around her shoulders and Isolde heard the faint purr in the back of her head that she always heard when Paris touched another. She knew it was his demon because she would then hear, "I want him/her".

It was strange to Isolde, even a month later, to hear their demons and picture what their demons made them picture, but she rolled with it simply because if they could do it every day for centuries upon centuries, then she could do it too.

Paris' demon never started with the "I want"s when around her anymore. It just purred. A lot. It was better than Torin's. That demon nagged poor Torin nearly every second he was near her. It was always the same thing over and over. Don't touch, do touch, can't touch, can touch, mustn't touch, must touch. Over and over, back and forth. It couldn't make up its mind and it had to drive Torin insane. Then there were the images the demon had of touching her.

Isolde never questioned how Disease had the image of her naked nearly perfect.

She didn't want to know and she wasn't going to bring that up with Torin.

The idea of that conversation was shudder inducing.

But Isolde had other things on her mind. She pushed the thoughts aside as she climbed into the front passenger side seat of the heavily tinted SUV that Paris usually drove into town when he was taking her with him. Isolde had tried to talk the warriors into letting her drive herself but they wouldn't hear of her going into town by herself.

When they reached town, Isolde instantly went about shopping for her needed groceries, while Paris went shopping for nourishment of another kind. He would come and find her when he was done. Over the course of the last month the six warriors had insisted she learn to protect herself, but at the same time, they didn't want to hurt her by training her.

It was an amusing combination.

Not that she didn't already know how to defend herself. They had found out quick that in a fight, Isolde was a nasty little thing. Especially when Isolde got tired of them taking it easy on her. Quick on her feet, striking fast and true before dancing out of reach, and definitely, without a doubt, not above playing dirty, aiming for eyes, groin, anything and everything that would hurt like a bitch.

Her first practice spar she had successfully taken out one of Reyes' eyes-much to the joy of his demon-after he refused to take the spar seriously. They knew for sure, then, that she knew how to fight. In her own way of course. They had taught her a lot to add on and she now carried two handguns and several knives that they had given to her. Even with Paris not at her side, she would be able to defend herself well enough for the man to reach her.

So standing in the shopping market, she was at ease.

"Here you go ma'am."

Isolde took her bags from the cashier with a thanks and turned to leave, only to slam into a man. She stumbled back, spilling a few of her veggies, but the man caught her by the elbow, keeping her on her feet. He was a large, muscled man. Decent looking, plain complained to the men she lived with.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you behind me!" she said hurriedly in English, since he didn't look like he was from the parts.

"It's fine. I should have been watching my steps." the man said, reaching out to help her gather the things she had dropped.

It was then that she saw it.

There, printed on the inside of one of his wrist. The infinity symbol. He was a Hunter. Isolde didn't let her eyes linger on the mark. She bent down to help him, her eyes going to his friends behind him. Another four men, all bearing the same mark on their wrist. All of them Hunters. Isolde felt her stomach twist. She had known, when she had awoken in this world, what she was going to be in the middle of, but it didn't prepare her for the rush of adrenaline the thought of battle brought her.

Maybe she really was meant for fighting.

She had certainly gotten in touch with her more violent, battle loving side since coming to live with the Lords.

"Thank you. I will certainly watch where I'm going for now on." she told the man, giving him a smile.

The man nodded, rejoining his friends. The group walked away, laughing and clapping each other on the shoulder. Hunters were in Budapest. That meant Ashlyn's arrival was either here or on the way.

Sure enough, as Isolde headed back through the streets of Budapest, back to where Paris had parked the car, she spotted a woman with honey for hair, skin, and eyes. The woman looked like she was ready to cram something, anything into her ears. Isolde had read enough about Ashlyn to know the woman when she saw her.

The main plot line of the book was now about to start. That meant either later this afternoon, or within the next few days, Aeron would suddenly vanish and return with a blood curse and then Maddox would meet Ashlyn.

Isolde locked her groceries into the car. It was cold enough out that they would be fine. Making sure the doors were locked, Isolde decided to stop at the local tea shop and grab a cup. She had just sat down at an outdoor table, steaming cup in hand, when the chair across from her pulled out. Isolde looked up into a pair of honey eyes.

"I'm sorry, but is this seat taken?"

Isolde stared at Ashlyn for a moment but then came to her senses. She hadn't expected this. Not that she was complaining. It wasn't like she was going to spill any secrets.

"Um, do you speak English?" Ashlyn asked, a little worried.

Isolde gave her head a shake to clear it and offered Ashlyn a soft smile.

"My apologies. I was lost in thought. Yes I speak English, and no the seat isn't taken. Please sit." Isolde said, gesturing to the chair.

A glance around told her that all of the other seats were taken. Ashlyn thanked her, taking a seat with her own cup of tea.

"It's awfully crowded here, today." Ashlyn remarked.

"It usually is on chilly days. But the tea here is nice. Worth the crowd in my opinion." Isolde replied.

Ashlyn nodded as she took a drink of her tea. Then as if realizing something she swallowed quickly turning those honey eyes on Isolde.

"How rude of me! I haven't introduced myself." she said before holding out her hand. "I'm Ashlyn Darrow."

Isolde took the hand with a smile and shook it.

"I'm Isolde." she said, pausing for a moment before adding, "Isolde Lord. Pleasure to meet you."

"Lord? I've never heard of a surname like that." Ashlyn said.

Isolde could tell that Ashlyn was having a hard time concentrating. She would until she met Maddox very soon. It made Isolde's heart ache for the woman, seeing her like that and knowing what plagued her.

"You will if you stick around here. My...brothers, are all well known in these parts." Isolde replied, taking another sip of her warm tea.

"As well known as the men who are supposed to live in the fortress on the hill?" Ashlyn asked.

Isolde looked up at Ashlyn, blinking past the sunglasses over her eyes. Paris had insisted she wear them, claiming that walking around with him was enough to get rumors of her possibly being an angel too, started. He claimed should anyone see her eye color, which was so unusual that no one else had it, the rumors would really fly. Isolde didn't care. Rumors like that would start anyway.

"Perhaps." Isolde replied.

"What do you know of those men? Are they really angels?" Ashlyn asked.

"Everyone believes they are and they certainly have poured charity onto the town. Only one of them comes into town and he's a bit of a flirt. Well...a major flirt." Isolde told Ashlyn.

"I had heard that. I had also heard that as of recently, they've taken in a young girl who comes into town." Ashlyn said.

"She's older then she looks. Or so I've heard."

"Could you tell me how to get to the fortress?"

Isolde looked up at Ashlyn.

"Why? It's not safe to go up there. The hill can be dangerous." Isolde said.

"I know but...I need their help."

That was all Ashlyn said, her eyes going down to her tea cup. On the edges of Isolde's mind she would faintly hear, "Want baby girl. Find baby girl." which meant Paris was done with his latest conquest and was looking for her. She had to hurry up and wrap up this conversation.

"Something you can't talk about? Something that others call a gift but really is a curse?" Isolde asked.

Ashlyn's honey gaze flew up to her in surprise and Isolde gave her a soft smile.

"Believe me, Ashlyn, I understand something like that. If you feel you must seek them out, which I have a feeling you really believe that, then by all means, go for it. Your welcoming might not be the warmest but you will find the help you're looking for. And more. The girl they took in will be on your side for sure. Stick to the east side of the hill though. It's the safest route." Isolde told her.

Ashlyn nodded eagerly, her eyes bright at the thought that someone knew, understood, and was willing to help in anyway. Isolde looked up when she heard, "Baby girl! Want you, come here!" in the back of her head, now closer than before. That would be her cue to go. Isolde turned her head back to Ashlyn who was eyeing her closely.

"Sorry, but I have to go. I'm being called." Isolde said.

She got to her feet, gathering her cup of tea and giving Ashlyn a smile as she stared at her. She was probably wondering how Isolde had been called when she, herself, had not heard anyone call her name. Isolde just smiled.

"Best of luck to you, Ashlyn. We will meet again. Believe me." Isolde said, pulling down her sunglasses, to give the woman a wink.

Ashlyn stared when she caught sight of Isolde's eyes but Isolde couldn't stick around. She took off, slipping into the crowd on the sidewalk and heading out towards the car. She found Paris waiting there, leaning against the car and being watched by ladies both local and tourist. She heard an instant, "She's here!" in her head before Paris looked up, catching sight of her. Without a word, the two climbed into the car and headed off.

"Where were you, baby girl? Usually you're waiting for me." Paris said as they drove up the hill.

"I went to a nearby tea shop to get a drink while I waited. It was pretty chilly today." Isolde replied.

It was the truth if not all of the truth. Paris took it as is, even snagging a drink of her tea, just to make her frown at him as she removed her sunglasses. He grinned back at her.

"So what did you get for dinner tonight?" he asked.

"Grilled vegetables, wild rice spinach salad with a cranberry tarragon vinaigrette, Asiago chive puffs, apricot stuffed pork roast, and raspberry crumble squares." Isolde replied.

"Sounds as good as the rest of the food you make." Paris told her.

"I hope so."

The rest of the trip back to the fortress and even as Paris helped her carry in groceries and put them away, was consumed by Paris teasing her and Isolde teasing him back. Isolde realized that the way she had classified the six warriors to Ashlyn had been pretty on key. They were her brothers by circumstance. Except Lucien. Lucien was more like her father then brother. Or maybe a legal guardian of a brother.

She would make sure they got their happy endings.

-0-0-0-0-

The night passed as it usually did. Lucien went about his usual work, checking that Isolde had everything she needed/wanted, Reyes was off somewhere ticking off marks in his arm, Maddox was getting grumpier by the hour, working off his stress in the gym, Paris was out playing with his women, and Aeron was watching a movie with Torin, Isolde tucked on the couch beside Aeron.

Aeron had an arm draped over the back of the couch, Isolde tucked into his side while her legs were stretched out on the couch, Torin in an armchair. She had been starting to doze off when something tingled on the edge of her mind. She sat up just in time for Aeron to go shift.

"Aeron?" Torin asked.

"I'm being summoned." was all Aeron said before he vanished.

Isolde turned her eyes on Torin.

"What was that about?" Torin asked, his eyes going to her.

"The gods." was all Isolde said.

"Should we be worried?" Torin asked.

"Not yet." Isolde replied.

Isolde turned on her seat and flopped back to lean on the arm rest of the couch. Torin had learned not to question Isolde on these kinds of things-even when he really, **really** wanted to-and simply decided to go check his monitors. It was all starting and Isolde just had to sit back and wait.

She had been slipping in and out of sleep, when the next tingle on her sense reached her mind. Faintly she heard, "Kill. Hurt. Maim." that was Maddox's demon as he plowed through enemies. Isolde instantly jerked into a sitting position.

Sometime while she was asleep Aeron and Paris had come back and now sat in the room as well. They both turned to her when she bolted up.

"What is it, baby girl?" Paris asked.

Isolde got to her feet. She glanced at the clock on the wall. Ten minutes until midnight. Without saying a word to Paris or Aeron, Isolde went to the doorway and went downstairs, peering out into the front foyer. As she had thought, Lucien and Reyes stood there arguing with Torin about sending Maddox out when it was so close to midnight.

"Baby girl?" Paris asked coming up beside her. "What is it?"

"Maddox is about to bring home a guest." Isolde said simply.

Sure enough the front door flew open and in flew Maddox already bent double in pain, his teeth clenched. Ashlyn was cradled in his arms.

"Sweet! A present? For me?" Paris asked, Maddox baring his teeth at him.

"You shouldn't be here. Take her and leave. Before it's too late." Maddox said.

Paris wasn't listening, his relief at Maddox being back and his amusement gone. He shoved Isolde far behind him, Aeron coming to his side to help block the girl.

"Look at him. Look at his face." Paris said.

"The process has already begun." Lucien added.

The words spurred Maddox into action. He shoved Ashlyn at the others, though it was a bit of an effort to get her to leave him, seeing how she instantly limped back to him the moment Lucien released her to check on her injured ankle. Finally she released him and Maddox demanded she not be hurt before commanding Reyes and Lucien to follow him to his room.

Isolde stayed back. For now. She knew what was about to come. Maddox was working himself in to a haze of violence seeing Lucien touching Ashlyn and he was close to attacking. Lucien finally dragged Ashlyn from the room. That only increased his haze.

"Ah, hell, the demon has taken over completely. We'll have to subdue him. Lucien, get back in here. Hurry!" Aeron called, before shoving Isolde out of the foyer completely.

"Stay in there, baby girl." he told her as he, Reyes, and Paris advanced on Maddox.

Isolde knew what to expect and peered around the corner, watching as Maddox drew his daggers and launched them. All three men ducked, the knives soaring over their heads. One embedded itself in the wall near her head. She didn't flinch. She was too busy watching as Aeron, Reyes, and Paris dog piled Maddox, punching and fighting with the roaring man. She watched them drag Maddox up the stairs, never once moving from her spot.

So it had started.

That meant Sabin and his crew would show up in Budapest very soon and it also meant that soon, Danika and her family would occupy Lucien's bedroom. Isolde leaned against the doorway, staying out of sight as first Maddox and then Ashlyn was led away. Ashlyn would be put in the dungeon after Maddox's death curse was carried out. Maddox wasn't going to be pleased with that. Isolde might have stopped them but even that little of a change could disturb events. Once Maddox's curse was carried out and Ashlyn was locked away, Isolde came out of hiding, yanking knives from the walls.

The men met in the entertainment room to discuss everything-which Isolde avoided like the plague-and that left Isolde to retreat to the kitchen. Lucien found her there, an hour later, eating a pint of Moolilium Crunch ice-cream. The man slid into the bar stool on the other side of the counter from her and Isolde knew what was coming before he ever spoke a word.

"Is there something you want to tell me, Isolde?" he asked, foregoing the baby girl in favor of his seriousness.

Yeah, she was in trouble.

"Um...we're going to have five new housemates?" Isolde posed.

Lucien heaved a sigh, rubbing at his temples. Isolde took another bite of her ice-cream while she waited for him to gather his thoughts.

"You knew." he stated.

"That I did."

"And you did not think to warn us?"

"But I did. At least for the woman Maddox brought home."

Lucien stared at her. She could see his brain ticking away, trying to place when Isolde could have possibly have warned him of such a thing.

"When?" he finally asked.

"I told you, Lucien, everything has a price. Sacrifice in its greatest form."

"Are you saying this woman is part of what will free Maddox from his curse?"

"Time will tell. As for the ones currently locked in your room...I couldn't tell you. Nor can I tell you how to deal with the situation." Isolde said.

"You knew about the gods then?" Lucien asked.

"Yes, I did. Cronus would be very troubled to know what I know about his future and the thoughts in his head. Which, by the way, is not a very pleasant thing to know." Isolde replied, waving her spoon around.

"Baby girl...sweetheart, is there anything you can tell me?" Lucien asked.

"She's not Bait. The woman Maddox brought home. And Maddox is going to be out for blood when he sees where you put her. You know its freezing cold down in that dungeon for a human woman." Isolde told him.

Lucien eyed her closely. He wouldn't question her anymore. Not after so many things she had been right about. He would continue believing her now. Even if he really didn't want to. Which she had a feeling he didn't really want to.

"And Aeron?" Lucien asked.

"It'll work out in the end. For better or for worse. I can't say anymore." Isolde answered before swiping up the last bite of her ice-cream and tossing her carton in the trash.

She hopped off her stool and tossed the spoon in the sink. Lucien watched her as she opened the fridge, pulling out a tall can of Razzleberry Peace Tea that they kept stocked because she loved it. She closed the fridge and turned to look at Lucien.

"Just know...this isn't the last surprise you're going to get. Be on guard." she told him before leaving the kitchen.

Things were going to get really interesting soon.


	6. Tick A Lock

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm back. I'll be updating with as many chapters as I can today. I have quite a few ready for you. So I won't beat around the bush today. Please enjoy and review. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or any of it's characters. I wish I did. I'd love to cuddle up with some of those Lords.

Chapter 6 Tick A Lock

The morning saw all of the warriors on edge. Maddox was furious, as Isolde had promised, and the woman was beyond terrified of all of them, save Maddox. Then there were the four women in Lucien's room. Isolde offered them no more answers, and even closed the door in Aeron's face when he woke her up at five in the morning. She was up two hours later anyway, earbuds stuffed into her ears and new hard rock blasting in her ears as she made breakfast.

She wasn't going to listen to any questions.

Isolde sat the food on the table in front of the males when it was done and sat down to eat.

"Are you going to say anything?" Reyes asked.

He sounded angrier then usual and Isolde knew why. He had caught sight of Danika and had been taken at first sight. Not that the man would admit it.

"Nope." Isolde replied.

"Do you know how dire this situation is?" Aeron growled.

"Believe me I'm well aware. I'm more aware of the situation then you are. But I also know this isn't the direst situation you'll face in the next year. You'll survive." Isolde replied.

"Survive!? What about those women!?" Aeron roared.

"I can't answer that."

"Do any of them survive this?" Lucien asked.

"I can't answer that either."

"Is there any way to break the blood curse?" Torin asked.

"There is."

"What is it?" Aeron asked, hopeful.

"Sorry."

All five males fixed her with a hard look. They knew what that sorry meant. She couldn't and wouldn't answer it. Aeron growled in frustration.

"I'm sorry, okay? There is a way to break it, but not at this point. Something has to be lost first." Isolde told them.

"You are saying that I have to pay a price." Aeron said, solemnly.

"Not you." Isolde replied.

"Does this have to do with Maddox and his woman?" Lucien asked.

Isolde shook her head.

"No, it doesn't have anything to do with Maddox and Ashlyn." she answered.

"Then who?" Reyes asked.

Isolde shook her head. All five men groaned, Aeron rubbing his hands over his head.

"I'm sorry, really I am. But you have to understand. By telling you, it'll change the events and they simply **must** happen." Isolde told them.

Isolde could tell by the look on Aeron's face that he was mentally running through a list of creatures and ancient artifacts that could read minds. Or he was asking his demon if he could flip her own ability to hear it, against her and read her mind. Isolde gnashed her molars together before standing quickly, drawing all of their attentions to her.

"I can tell what you're thinking, Aeron. Stop. Believe me when I say...you **don't** want to know what I know. None of you would want to know what goes through my head every time I see you, or am near you. What goes through my head every waking minute of the day. If you did...you just don't want to. Just drop it." Isolde told him before walking away from the table.

The males watched as she left the room. They could tell she had been a little annoyed when she had left. Isolde knew more then she obviously cared to know. It had its advantages but knowing everything that was to happen could also be a heavy burden on a person. Add to it the fact that Isolde could hear their demons and Isolde's poor mind had to be full of things she didn't want to know. She never complained though and still sought to be around them despite it.

She was as strong as she was stubborn. At the moment...that stubbornness was going to annoy them all to death.

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde didn't return to her room. Instead, she headed upstairs towards Aeron's room. She knew that soon the others would basically go into hiding and Maddox would go on the prowl, searching for them. He would be livid upon finding Ashlyn that morning. Isolde perched herself on the wide window sill of a window, waiting and listening. Sure enough Maddox flew past her without seeing her to check Aeron's room. Isolde stayed at the window, not moving so not to draw his attention to her. "Kill. Hurt. Maim." rung over and over in her mental ears.

Isolde sat in her window sill and watched as Maddox's temper got darker and darker, until the man was punching holes in the wall. The noise drew Aeron's attention and the man appeared at the end of the hall. From where he stood he wouldn't be able to see Isolde. The girl crossed her legs, propping an elbow on her knee and dropping her chin into her awaiting hand as the two men clashed. Maddox was looking for blood, hoping to sate his demon so he could have Ashlyn, and Aeron was only more than happy to abide his friend's desires.

Isolde was content enough to watch. Blue rimmed, vermilion eyes followed the two as they rolled across the floor, throwing punches, jabbing elbows, slamming knees into each other. Isolde could hear Violence urging Maddox to kill Aeron. Not that Maddox would ever give into such a thing. Wrath was having a field day with the damage dealing too. The glee filled cackling battled for her attention with Violence's urges to Maddox.

Personally she found this whole thing to be a waste of time. Maddox was only going to end up more on edge then before. He would allow Aeron to beat him half to death in the hopes to calm the demon. Sure enough the big man threw his arms wide, letting Aeron knee him in the gut and knock him on his ass. As a final ditch for more violence from someone other than the person beating the crap out of Maddox, Violence reared his head inside of Isolde's mind.

" _Baby girl! Join! Hurt. Maim. Kill!_ "

Isolde twitched, but didn't allow herself to move from her spot. Wrath joined him in her head, urging her the same way. Prodding at her to punish the two. For a moment both men froze, twin eyes of violet snapping up to look at Isolde. Maddox was laying on the floor in front of the window where Isolde was sitting, Aeron pinning him down. Both locked eyes with Isolde, who made no move to entertain their demons.

 _Be gone! Go back to your keepers. I won't amuse you,_ Isolde told the demons.

The two left her alone, unreasonably fearing her more than Maddox and Aeron, and returned to urging their keepers. Aeron snapped back to beating Maddox black and blue and Maddox was distracted by Aeron's raining fist to bother focusing on Isolde.

"Aeron! What are you doing?"

Isolde looked down the hall to where Lucien stood looking from the two warriors on the floor to Isolde in the window, watching.

"Baby girl?" he asked.

Isolde turned her eyes back to the two, Aeron's fist still pounding away at Maddox.

"Giving Maddox what he needs." Aeron replied.

"Stop." Lucien demanded.

"No." Aeron retorted, Maddox agreeing with a "Don't stop".

"Stop. Now. Or tonight I'll take you into hell with Maddox. Isolde is watching." Lucien threatened.

That instantly stopped Aeron. Isolde didn't bother pointing out that Lucien wouldn't dare do such a thing to one of his beloved brothers by circumstance. Her mind instead caught on what Lucien had said. Why would her watching have anything to do with this? She felt a strange, unfamiliar need to hurt the man for suggesting she was too childish to watch them fight. That shocked her into snapping to attention. She mentally gave herself a shake to pull her head out of that urging.

Aeron pushed himself to his feet, helping Maddox up. Isolde didn't bother to move from her seat as Lucien demanded to know what was going on. Maddox gave a lame excuse that usually would have had her laughing, but the girl remained quiet, that nagging urge to hurt someone, now pestering her instead of Maddox. She had a pretty good idea why.

She had been feeling a dark need to hurt come over her lately. As Maddox had grown more agitated over the last couple of days before Ashlyn's appearance, Isolde had been experiencing more and more of these urges to hurt and maim. Maddox was worked into a bigger frieze then usual with Ashlyn around and since Isolde was able to hear to mentally touch the demons, Violence was seeking more than one outlet.

Violence was seeking an outlet through her.

Isolde didn't like it. She shoved the urges to the back of her mind to deal with later and noticed that all three men were looking at her.

"What?" she asked.

"What are you doing there? Just watching them like th-"

Isolde heaved a sigh as she hopped down from her perch in the window. Lucien cut off, knowing that this particular sigh meant, "Shut up for a moment".

"Seeing how Maddox is about to lose his temper with you because you're going to insist that Ashlyn doesn't matter and he doesn't quite understand why it matters at this point, I believe I'll leave the three of you alone." Isolde replied, turning on her heel.

She ignored them calling her name and headed back to her room. She would change and go take a couple of swings at a punching bag. Maybe a little sweat would help purge her of urges she shouldn't have to begin with. After all, it wasn't her demon. Once in her room, she tossed her clothes in favor of a black, cropped top with straps that crossed across her shoulder blades, and black, low slung, skin tight shorts. She grabbed a towel, tied her long hair into a high pony tail, didn't bother with shoes, and headed to the gym.

Maybe an hour of punching at the punching bag would have her feeling like normal again.

Maybe.

-0-0-0-0-

"How long has she been going at it?"

Paris peered past his friends and into the gym. Across the room, a sweat drenched, and clearly seething, Isolde was pounding away at the punching bag, bare fisted. Her whole body was covered in a layer of sweat, her hair and clothes sticking to her skin as she panted. She had long ago lost the layers of skin over her knuckles, each new punch leaving behind more stains of blood. Despite the five, large men, standing around the door way, Isolde's attention was latched solely on the punching bag.

What really drew their attention...her eyes had started to leech out the blue lining and was looking more and more red.

Isolde was leaking a dark energy, as if she had a lot of built up anger and was trying to burn through all of it on the punching bag. She obviously wasn't getting anywhere taking it out on an inanimate object. Didn't stop her from continuing with what she was doing. They might have left her to it too, if it wasn't for the fact that with each new punch they could practically hear her bones protesting, threatening to crack as she tore more and more skin from her knuckles.

"I first noticed her in here about three hours ago. She has not moved from that spot since." Reyes remarked.

Another punch.

The punching bag swung back away from Isolde as she pounded her right fist into it. When it swung back to her, she hauled off and knocked it anew with the left.

"Should we leave her to it?" Paris asked.

"No. She will do more damage to herself if we do." Lucien said before slipping past Aeron and Reyes to head towards Isolde.

Isolde didn't even look up as he approached, but she was aware he was there.

"Come any closer, Lucien, and I'm likely to land the next punch on you." Isolde told him.

Lucien instantly came to a stop. It wasn't because he feared Isolde's punches. The girl was strong, stronger than most females, but she wasn't strong enough to really hurt him. He just didn't want her to feel provoked when, somehow, she already was.

"What is it, sweetheart? What is it making you so angry?" Lucien asked.

"I'm not angry." Isolde replied, her punching never ceasing.

"Your knuckles would disagree." Lucien replied.

"Then they would be lying. I'm not angry. I can't help this." Isolde said.

"What do you mean?" Lucien asked.

"For the last week, as Maddox has gotten more agitated, Violence has taken every chance to turn my ability to hear him, against me. The more Maddox gets worked up, the more I feel the need to rip something limb from limb. Trying to work it off, isn't working. Until Violence and Maddox calm down, I can't." Isolde replied, giving the punching bag an extra hard punch that had it swinging away from her again.

When it swung back in her direction, she swung her left fist back, slamming it as hard as she could into the punching bag. There was a resounding crack as a bone in her hand snapped. But her hand wasn't the only thing that gave. The punching bag split, spilling sand onto the floor. Isolde cursed lowly to herself, raking her unbroken hand down her face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to split it. Didn't even know I could." Isolde said, heaving a sigh as she flexed her fingers.

It was easy to tell she still had the itch to break something. Wincing at the pain in her left hand, she raised the hand to look at the bloody knuckles. Part of a bone was visible past the shredded skin. Carefully, she stretched the fingers and then yanked on the ring finger and middle finger. The broken bone snapped back into place.

Isolde had a faster healing time then humans, but still slower than them. As long as she kept slamming away at something the knuckles wouldn't completely heal. They would continue to bleed and the skin would only heal to split apart again. And she looked ready to turn and start hammering away at the wall instead. She would continue to have the itch to break, to hit and hurt, until she actually laid into someone else. They had seen Maddox like this and knew that was the only way to ease the need.

"You need to punch more than a punching bag for it to finally leave you, Isolde, sweetheart." Lucien told her.

"I know this." she replied, her fingers still flexing.

As they watched the flow of blood slowed and then stopped, but the skin remained shredded for the time being.

"Then punch me." Aeron offered.

He had just healed from the beating he had taken from Maddox in their fight earlier that day, but if he could take Maddox's violence, he could take whatever Isolde dished out. Isolde turned a you-have-to-be-kidding look on Aeron.

"Punch the keeper of Wrath? And get the crap beat out of me in return as punishment? Yeah, thanks but no thanks." Isolde said, kicking into motion, pacing the floor back and forth. "I'd rather punch Maddox since it's his demon."

Isolde started popping each knuckle on her hands, moving on to her elbows and then her shoulders, and ending with a wince inducing crack of her neck. Still it wasn't enough, her fingers flexing with each step.

"Then punch Reyes. I'll even hold him for you." Paris offered, Reyes shooting him a glare to which Paris grinned.

"Yeah? And what if I decide to **accidently** miss Reyes and punch you in the face instead." Isolde snapped in reply.

That shocked them all. Isolde was usually rather mellow and mild tempered, despite what she may say to the different. She had never snapped at a single one of them no matter what they said or did. Least of all Paris who was laid back pretty much all of the time. Isolde noticed this the moment the retort left her mouth and groaned, shoving her fingers into her hair, pulling strands free of the pony tail.

"I'm sorry, Paris. I really am. I didn't mean it. This is so frustrating." Isolde said, scrubbing at her face with her hands.

When her hands came down and they could see her eyes again, the blue had completely vanished from her eyes and they were starting to change from vermilion to crimson. The demon was peeking through, and Isolde wasn't even the one possessed.

"I would say to let her swing it out with Maddox, but with the way he's been lately, he wouldn't be able to hold back and would probably hurt her." Torin said from the doorway.

"I will do it." Reyes said, stepping forward.

Isolde eyed him as he approached her, her now crimson eyes following him.

"What are you doing, Reyes?" she asked, her tone guarded as he came to a stop in front of her.

"You need to hit someone, so hit me." he told her.

Isolde looked scandalized at the idea of hitting any of them. It was easy to tell that she was about to protest and she even started to shake her head.

"No." she said firmly.

"It's the only way to ease the feeling, sweetheart. He will not hold it against you." Lucien assured her.

"But I'll hold it against me!" Isolde snapped in reply.

Her eyes were starting to flash a dangerous red and it was almost as if her hair was starting to stand on end. Nails were starting to grow into claws, incisors were starting to turn into fangs. The demon was having a big effect on her. Lucien shared a look with Reyes, the latter nodding before facing Isolde again. Without any warning, Reyes shoved her. Isolde stumbled back, catching herself before she fell on her ass.

"What the hell did you do that for!?" she snapped at him.

Reyes didn't reply. He simply walked up to her and did it again. Isolde cursed darkly, shooting him a razor sharp glare.

"I'm warning you, Reyes, back off. I'm not exactly in control right now." Isolde told him lowly.

"And what do you plan to do about it?" Reyes asking in a mocking tone that had one of her eyes twitching.

Even when she was completely under control and wasn't being pushed to violence by a demon, Isolde hated it when someone mocked her. It was one of the quickest ways to spark her temper. Something they had come to figure out when Paris had made the mistake of mocking her. He had only made the mistake once though, for she had quickly, and effectively, broken his nose. Not once, not twice, but four times. Now of them had even joked with her in a mocking tone after that.

Now Reyes was mocking her and they could already see her temper rising, giving her eyes the same laser quality, theirs sometimes obtained.

"Don't you dare patronize me! I'll break your nose like I did Paris'." she told him, venom dripping from her voice.

"You? Little, weak you? You cannot hurt me." Reyes said.

And that was all it took. Isolde snapped, launching herself at the warrior. Reyes let her, not trying to fight back as she knocked him off his feet. Reyes hit his back hard, Isolde straddling his chest. Without stopping for a second she drew her left arm back and punched him in the face, whipping his head to the left. Her left fist followed, whipping his head in the other direction. One punch after the other, raining down faster than any the rest of them could have managed.

She didn't let up as first Reyes' nose, then his cheek bone, and finally one of his eyes sockets broke. But Reyes' bones weren't the only thing to break. There was a crack as first the knuckles of Isolde's right hand and then her left, broken and splintered. That didn't stop her from continuing to rain punches down on him.

"She really was itching for violence." Paris remarked, standing back with the others as Isolde continued her assault.

"Yes, well, we will let her punch it out. Seeing blood was the only way to calm Maddox, it should calm her too." Lucien remarked.

Sure enough, as her energy began to fade, so did the crimson of her eyes. Slowly her eyes faded back to vermilion and the blue edges returned until finally she didn't have any more energy to continue the punching and sat back on her heels, panting. Reyes didn't try moving, blood covering his face and staining his shirt as he groaned from the pain.

"Feel better?" Torin asked.

"Jerk...offs..."

Torin and Paris grinned when Isolde huffed her reply at them. She heaved herself off Reyes, flopping down to sit next to him, cradling her hands in her lap. Reyes twitched now and then and Isolde leaned to the side to look down at him.

"You aren't dead, right?" she asked.

In reply, Reyes groaned. His demon was probably having a field day with the pain he was suffering. Isolde just shook her head.

"You shouldn't have mocked me. You know full well I get pissed when you mock me. Idiot." Isolde said giving Reyes a hard kick in the side, making the man moan.

"I believe that is enough, Isolde." Lucien told her.

"No it's not. I should kick you too for putting him up to the idea. Baiting me like that. You're a real jackass when you want to be." Isolde retorted, frowning up at him.

Lucien ignored it as he knelled in front of her and took one of her hands in his. The skin over her knuckles was completely gone, the surrounding skin shredded and bruised deeply. The knuckles and at least five of her fingers, were broken. Muscles and tendons alike were torn, the fingers horribly swollen. She wouldn't be using her hands for a while.

"You should worry about him. He got the worse end of the ordeal." Isolde said, looking over at Reyes.

"He will be fine. I am more concerned with this new connection with our demons. If Violence can do it then it is only a matter of time before the others can. I do not look forward to Disease using you. Or any of them for that matter. You are not use to dealing with them." Lucien retorted.

"Wrath and Promiscuity already know how." Isolde replied.

Lucien locked his different colored eyes on her.

"What do you mean?" Lucien asked.

"Part of today's issue was Maddox and Violence being worked up, but the other part was Wrath urging me to punish Maddox and Aeron for fighting and then urging me to punish myself for not doing so. So it was really a mix of Violence and Wrath. Not a pretty mix. Usually if it's just one at a time, I can handle it. I have been for the last few weeks." Isolde replied.

"And you did not tell us?" Lucien asked.

"In case you've forgotten, Lucien, I don't tell you a lot of things. Telling you this would have only put more stress on you then you already had and I knew that stress was about to triple." Isolde replied.

Lucien looked up at Isolde, mismatched eyes meeting two-toned ones. Isolde actually thought she was decreasing the amount of stress they were under by not telling them when something was happening with her.

"Baby girl, if something's wrong you need to tell us." Paris remarked.

"No. No, I don't." Isolde said, pulling her hands from Lucien and getting to her feet.

By this point, Reyes was cleaning blood from his eyes as he sat up. Bone was already snapping back into place where she had broken it. He fixed blood shot eyes on Isolde just as the others did. Lucien got to his feet, while Aeron gave Reyes a hand up.

"I keep Death and Disease at bay by sheer force of will. The others aren't really a problem for me. I can deal with them easily enough. I just get...frustrated." Isolde added, looking down at her hands. "When it comes to Wrath, Violence, and Pain, the results are pretty much the same. I beat the crap out of punching bags and walls."

"And with my demon?" Paris asked.

Isolde's eyes instantly went to the ceiling and Paris's demon started snickering in the back of his head. Paris had a pretty good idea what happened when he saw the dusting of pink enter Isolde's cheeks. She wasn't going to answer, that much he knew.

"That's new. Sex is snickering." Paris remarked.

"And he can shut up." Isolde retorted.

"Now I have to know what happens." Paris said, crossing his arms.

"No, you don't. That is something I am **never** telling you." Isolde said, shooting him a stern look.

Paris, though, wasn't letting this slip. He was enjoy her embarrassment far too much. He grinned as he leaned back against a wall.

"There's no one here for you to sleep with to ease it, unless someone here is keeping secrets, so how do you manage it, baby girl?" Paris asked.

"This conversation is over. Done with." Isolde said quickly, turning to leave the room.

"I have toys if you want to borrow them." Paris offered.

"Like I would use any toys of yours. I have no idea where they've been." Isolde replied.

"I can buy you some. And show you how to use them." Paris added with a grin.

"I'm not listening to this!" Isolde replied back, pressing the heel of her hands into her ears since she couldn't use her fingers just yet.

Paris pushed himself away from the wall to follow her. Isolde kept the heels of her hands pressed against her ears as Paris jumped into describing toys and their uses and taking guesses at what she did to ease the torment of his demon. The two vanished out the door and about half way down the hall, they heard the yelp of surprise and pain as Isolde tagged Paris with a hard kick.

"She just keeps coming up with more surprises for us." Aeron remarked.

"I do not believe she will ever stop surprising us." Lucien replied.

The others were sure that was going to be the case. Isolde always seemed to have some kind of surprise up her sleeve. They just didn't know how many more she had waiting.


	7. Envy

Author's Note: I don't really have much to say this time so I'll cut to the chase. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or any of it's characters.

Chapter 7 Envy

Isolde, after finally losing Paris who really needed a woman, had retreated to Maddox's hall in the fortress. She knew was coming and was half way up the stairs when she first heard Maddox's yells. When she arrived at his door, Reyes rushed past her and Paris was standing in the door. Maddox had found Ashlyn after she had drunk the ambrosia laced wine. Isolde still wasn't even sure how the stuff would affect her and had avoided drinking it. She went to a bar in town when she wanted a drink because at twenty, she was of legal drinking age in Hungry.

She had found that over the last month, even high proof whiskey and vodka didn't affect her anymore.

But that was off topic.

Isolde stepped to the side, avoiding a run in with Paris before slipping into Maddox's room. She stood off to the side of the door, leaning back against the wall, arms crossed as she watched. Maddox didn't even notice she was there. That was fine with her. She wasn't ready to make her presence known. If she remained still enough, remained quiet, then no one would notice her.

Watching how Maddox cradled Ashlyn as she got sick, watching how he fretted over the girl, Isolde could tell his feelings for her were evolving rapidly. It wasn't normal in humans to love so quickly, though it happened. With Maddox and Ashlyn, it was just meant to be. Just like it would be for each of the Lords and their chosen ones.

Isolde was a little envious.

She doubted she would ever be able to find someone for herself. She was too brash, too independent, too stubborn, too much of too many things that men didn't like for any to take any lasting interest in her. Even Paris, who was forever aroused by women, only saw her as a sister at best. She had looks, but just because something was pretty outside, didn't make them pretty inside. The same could be said vice versa.

And Isolde knew she wasn't pretty inside and out.

So watching someone else fall in love had her feeling both envy and joy. If anyone could find their true love in the messed world they lived in, then they were lucky. It was part of the reason she had gotten hooked on the _Lords of the Underworld_ book series and then the _Angels of the Dark_ series after it. Aside from good writing, interesting characters, and hilarious and intriguing plots, she loved the lesson it impressed upon.

Love required sacrifice.

Sacrifice was something Isolde didn't understand. Not anymore. She had tried it once, had failed horribly, and wasn't going to try it again. She had learned her lesson hard the first time.

Trying hurt.

Putting her heart on the line hurt.

Caring hurt.

Love hurt.

Isolde was tired of being hurt. She was content enough to watch from the side lines.

And that was exactly what she was doing as Maddox seemingly started talking to himself. She knew he was hearing a voice in his head and that he thought it was a titan talking to him, promising to help Ashlyn to live. Isolde knew better. She knew it was none other than Sabin, the keeper of Doubt, projecting his voice into Maddox's head. She mentally gave herself a note to pop into town and give Sabin a little hell for trying to trick Maddox.

She knew it was all a part of the plot, that it all needed to happen, but that didn't mean she could exact a little revenge of her own. After all, when they joined them living in the fortress, she would have to live with them. It was best they learned to mind themselves around her, now.

Isolde was drawn out of her thoughts when finally Reyes returned with Danika. Danika sort of freaked out and having Maddox and Reyes growling down her back wasn't helping. Isolde kind of blended into the shadows, unnoticed by all in the room. She didn't move, didn't talk, and barely even breathed. She was just fine taking the background on this one.

She actually felt sorry for Danika. Isolde knew the poor woman was scared out of her mind. She didn't know these men like Isolde did. Didn't know what the future held for her. If she did...she would probably still take off running. At least at first. Reyes wasn't a bad guy. None of them were, but what the future had in store wasn't for the faint of heart. Not that Danika was faint of heart.

Though when Reyes left and came back with Aeron, Isolde wondered about that. Freaked was too mild a word for what Danika did. Isolde had to question how Danika didn't have a heart attack, the way she worked herself up. All because Aeron had to remove his shirt to use his wings. Isolde knew she would go. Eventually Danika would go and would have a panic attack when Aeron flew her out the window. Isolde wasn't sure how she would act.

She had never been particularly scared of heights, had been on an airplane before, but something about the idea of being carried, high above the ground, by a winged man, had even Isolde's stomach twisting into knots. Despite that, she wasn't sure how she would react to being flown around like that, herself.

She wouldn't be finding out any time soon either.

Leaving the issuing chaos to those involved, Isolde left the room, never once drawing the attention of those gathered there. She stopped by her room long enough to grab the purse Paris had bought her just a few days ago. He had bought the silver-and-black zebra print bag because it reminded him of the streaks she had dyed in her own hair. Isolde had claimed him a goofball, but had taken it because truthfully...she liked it. And he had owed her for her help in playing the dependent little sister so he could score two women who had ate the act up.

Checking that her wallet, keys, and other necessities were in it, she strapped on the weapons she usually wore into town. She paused long enough to swap out the track shorts and tank top she had been wearing for a pair of short, low-slung, black jean shorts, a black halter top that fit her like a glove, a pair of royal purple, thigh high stockings with silk ribbons lacing up from just above the knee to the top where they were tied into bows, and a pair of knee high, black boots with shiny, silver buckles.

Isolde grabbed her jacket and headed downstairs, heading instantly for the back door. She didn't get half way to the door when she heard Torin over the speakers.

"Going somewhere, baby girl?" he asked.

"Off to town." she replied.

"By yourself? You know you shouldn't." he told her.

"Paris is already there. He left before asking if I wanted to go and I have business to handle." Isolde told him.

"Business? What kind of business?"

"The kind that doesn't require me having a babysitter. I'm twenty, Wicked Man."

The laugh was low, letting her know he had heard the teasing in her voice. He knew she was joking the moment she used her nickname for him. He wouldn't stop her, knew she would go unless someone held her down. Besides, she had a point. Paris was already in town. There wasn't much trouble she could get into with him there. Then again, it was Isolde. The girl could get into trouble anywhere, any time.

"Be careful." he told her.

"Of course." Isolde replied before heading outside.

She took one of the suit-up SUVs and drove into town, finding where Paris usually parked and parking next to him. When Isolde slid out of the driver seat, she took a long look around. Several people passed her, ignoring her for the most part. Some stopped to stare as she made sure her sunglasses were pushed up. Isolde's eyes snagged on the Hotel Tavera down the road. That was where Sabin and his group were staying. Chances were, she would find them around there and what would become Club Destiny.

Isolde kicked into gear, keeping her eyes peeled for Hunters as well as Lords. A few times she caught a glimpse of a man with the infinity symbol on his wrist as he moved past her on the sidewalk. Then she saw it. Up ahead of her, she could make out a head of blue above the heads of others. If she wasn't mistaken, that would be Gideon, the keeper of Lies. Isolde kicked into gear, slipping between people as though she were nothing more than smoke. People barely noticed her.

She got her first real look at them as Strider gave Gideon a shove. Exactly how she thought to find Strider. The man couldn't stand to be challenged. He was going to hate her for sure, because Isolde couldn't stand to lose a challenge. She also happened to know that Strider kept two Sigs at the small of his back. There was no quicker way to piss him off then to take his weapons.

Good thing she had a great sleight of hand.

Isolde surged forward, taking her chance, and crashed into Strider's back, taking the man off guard. Careful not to alert him to it, she slid the two guns out of their hiding place and into her bag before spun away from him, fumbling to regain her balance.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't hurt you, did I?" Isolde asked, peering up at Strider through her sunglasses.

Strider looked no more effected by her crashing into him then if a fly had hit him. The others watched her with a guarded gaze that betrayed their warrior souls. She had to tread water carefully if she didn't want to bring a full out war right there. Not yet. She at least wanted a good twenty feet and about fifty people between her and them before she pissed them off.

"Sorry, really. These streets are so crowded." she told him, careful not to speak a lie.

Gideon would sniff her out in a heartbeat. She was also careful to keep her mind blank of anything that would give her away. Mostly it was thoughts about coffee, which she could really use, and what she was going to make for dinner, which she had to buy for while she was in town. Amun would pick up on nothing that would have a red flag waving. When neither sniffed her out, she knew she was good.

What wasn't good was the way their demons were reacting.

She could hear all five, clamoring in her mind for her attention. Defeat was begging her to challenge to Strider, Disaster wanted her to start a fight which could cause mayhem on the street, Secrets wanted, well, secrets, Lies was yelling at her to lie, and Misery wanted her to make someone, anyone, miserable. Obviously they didn't feel their keepers were feeding them properly. She wasn't even going to act like she could hear them. The five warriors were already starting to tense.

Despite that, Strider plastered a grin on his face when he gave her a once over.

There was no way in hell. He hadn't met his one and only yet, but that was a woman that Isolde didn't want to rub elbows with. She sure as hell wasn't going to step in on her turf when it came to Strider. Isolde had more sense than that.

"It's no problem. No harm, no foul." Strider told her.

Isolde smiled at him, feigning gratitude for him understanding.

"Good. Sorry, again. Have a nice day." she told him, turning and walking away.

She waited until there was a throng of people between them and their demons were screeching in her head before she turned back to them. She couldn't help it anymore. She lowered her sunglasses to look back at them, giving them a perfect view of her eyes.

"Oh, and thanks for the guns...Strider."

The five tensed, staring at her as if she has just grown a second head. Isolde slid one of the guns out of the bag to flash it at Strider. Strider's hands went to the back of his waist band and he swore colorfully. That put a grin on her face and she gave him a wink before using her middle finger to push her glasses back up. Basically she was flipping him off. Strider growled and surged forward, but being small, and therefore lighter on her feet, Isolde evaded him easily, taking off down the street.

Strider and his friends pushed past people, shoving them aside, while Isolde snaked between people, making them no more aware of her presence then a slight breeze. Isolde turned down an alley, throwing herself up against a wall. If only she could vanish to their eyes as she had with the others in Maddox's room. They hadn't noticed her there at all. Almost like she was thick with shadows. Sinking into them, hidden from sight.

Strider suddenly flew into the alley. He looked around, searching the alley and saw only shadows. No sight of the two-toned eyed girl that had taken his guns. He cursed again before hurrying down the alley, his friends following after him.

Isolde watched in surprise as they flew right past her and never noticed her. Once they cleared the alley, Isolde held out her hands and looked down at them. All she saw was shadows moving and shifting. Not a single bit of her was showing. When she stepped forward, willing herself back into sight which took a minute to achieve, the shadows melted off her like water rolling over her skin, until she stood in the middle of the alley.

"Whoa...new ability. I like this one. Can't wait to see the guys' expressions when I show them." Isolde muttered to herself as she headed back the way she came.

Isolde dodged through the web of humans back towards the SUV she had parked, keeping her eyes peeled. Once she caught sight of Cameo and Amun and ducked behind a couple of business men, keeping out of sight. She managed to stop off at the store to pick up groceries before loading them into the SUV and heading back. Paris' SUV was still parked, meaning he was still busy with his ladies. Half way up the hill, Isolde caught sight of something large flying towards the fortress. That would be Aeron, carrying Danika back from town where they had gone to retrieve her purse.

The fortress was quiet, at least to her limited hearing, when she brought in the groceries. She piled the bags on the counter and started putting them away, getting dinner started, before she went in search of her housemates. She found all of them, save Maddox, in the entertainment room. For a moment she leaned against the wall outside the room, listening to them.

"I saw them. Maddox didn't kill them all, and Paris and Reyes must have missed them when they went scouting. There are more Hunters, and they're gathered in the city even now. I think I heard one of them say the word tonight, but I was too high in the air to be sure." came Aeron's voice.

Isolde heard the crack of billiard balls hitting each other with the rhythmic back beat of Reyes' fist on a punching bag.

"How do you know they are Hunters?" Lucien asked, nailing another ball.

"They had guns and knives strapped to their bodies, and I saw the mark of infinity on one of their wrists." Aeron replied.

A foolish act, Isolde thought. She would have never branded herself with the mark of her...oh...wait...she already had. Isolde's hand went to her ribs where her clothes hid the butterfly tattoo there. Okay, so she was foolish too, but at least hers wasn't in a spot that could normally be seen by anyone.

"How many?" Lucien asked.

Isolde stepped into the room at this point, leaning on the door jamb as she crossed her arms.

"Six." she said, drawing their attention to her.

"Baby girl?" Paris asked.

"I've been seeing them too. I literally ran into one in the supermarket the day Ashlyn showed up here. I stole one of his guns and he bruised the tomatoes I had just bought. Fair trade if you ask me." Isolde remarked.

"And you didn't tell us?" Aeron growled.

Isolde raised one shoulder in a dismissive shrug.

"They haven't made a move against you and I knew you would notice them before they could. Wasn't my place to send the six of you into a rage over it." she replied.

"Well, this sucks." Paris said, dropping his head into his hands.

Isolde ignored the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt and that his jeans were unfastened and could slip off easily at any moment. She wasn't ashamed to admit that if that happened...she'd take the chance to castrate him.

"Where there's six, there's six more and where there's six more and so on and so on." he added.

"Damned Hunters." Reyes put in.

"I do not wish to pack up and leave this time. This is our home. We have done nothing wrong." Aeron said, Isolde throwing in a "Yet." that had him shooting her a dark look. "If they've come to fight, I say we fight them."

"As Isolde pointed out, they haven't challenged us." Lucien replied, scrubbing two fingers over his jaw. "Why?"

"They came up the hill. That is challenge enough. And what about Maddox's girl? The Hunters could be waiting for her signal." Aeron retorted.

"She's more a complication now than ever. I still wonder what role the gods are playing in this." Torin muttered.

Eyes turned to Isolde, as they normally did when they wanted answers they knew she had. Isolde, her arms crossed over her chest, cocked one hip out and jut out her chin in the stubborn look they were coming to know well. She wasn't going to answer. She had an answer, no doubt, but she couldn't, wouldn't give it to them. Aeron growled at her, getting a flash of teeth bared back at him, before he plucked at the silver loop in his eyebrow.

"We'll have to tell Maddox." he said, but Torin shook his head.

"It won't matter to him. You've seen the way he is with her." Torin told him.

"Yes." Aeron said with disgust in his voice.

"We'll be watching and we'll let the Hunters up the hill this time. I don't want innocents killed during the battle." Lucien said, tossing a billiard bill in the air to catch it.

"I don't want Hunters here. Not in our home. Let's parade Maddox's human around town, using their Bait as our Bait. They'll follow us, meaning to save her and attack. We'll draw them into a trap, away from the townspeople, and obliterate them." Reyes suggested.

Isolde snorted as they others turned sharp looks on him.

"If we're seen, the city will turn on us. It will be Greece all over again." Aeron told him.

"They won't see. Torin can monitor the area with his cameras and radio us to let us know the moment someone approaches." Reyes insisted.

He won Aeron over with that argument, getting a nod of approval from him. Lucien sighed, signaling that they had reeled him in as well.

"Very well. We will use the girl." he said.

"I guess all we have to do now is figure out how to keep Maddox from handing us our asses when he finds out." Paris remarked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Good luck with that one. The four of you are so dead when he finds out." Isolde piped in, drawing five pairs of eyes to her.

"You aren't going to tell him, are you, baby girl?" Paris asked.

He was rewarded with a noise that was between a snort and a curt laugh.

"And get myself beat into a bloody pulp as well? Not a no, not a hell no, but a hell, fucking no. The four of you can dig your own graves and leave me out of it." she retorted.

"We're doing what we all think is right." Aeron told her.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked.

Aeron eyed her, questioning in his eyes. He didn't know what she meant and knew she wouldn't give him a straight up answer.

"Let me put it this way...I said the **four** of you. Not five. Ponder that over." she said before pushing herself away from the wall.

She left the room with a little two-finger salute to them and an almost mocking, "Best of luck to you because you and your plan are toast." tossed over her shoulder.

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde was laying on her bed, on her back, feet propped up on her pillows and reading, her music playing softly from her speakers, when there was a knock on her door. Isolde didn't look away from her book, even for a second.

"Come in." she called.

The door opened and closed. No footsteps announced an approach, but she knew who it was. After over a month in the fortress, she knew who would come to see her, come to talk to her. It was almost like he had taken on the job of being her father figure.

"Isolde, you know what I am going to ask you, right?"

Isolde leaned her head back enough to glance at Lucien before she turned her attention back to the book in her hands.

"Humor me." she replied.

"You are not going to fight with us."

Isolde laid the book on her chest and leaned her head back to look at him sharply.

"The hell I'm not! I live here too, Lucien." she replied.

Lucien heaved a sigh. He had known she was going to argue. If there was one thing Lucien had learned about her in the time she had come to live with them it was that she was fiercely protective of what was hers. To her, the fortress, everything in it, including them, were hers. She wasn't going to remain safe while they weren't.

"Isolde-"

"Don't Isolde me, Lucien. You've seen me fight. I can handle myself. I refuse to remain locked in my room, protected from harm like some pretty, pink princess." Isolde replied, rolling onto her side and onto her hands and knees.

Lucien gave her a pained look that she could read only too well. He didn't want her to get hurt. Saw her as something that needed to be protected no matter how well it could fight. That look had Isolde swearing forcefully under her breath.

"Damn it, Lucien, I'm not a child! They're just humans with weapons. It's nothing I haven't dealt with before. I live here too! I refuse to be shoved around and cosseted like an infant unable to fend for itself." she told him tartly.

"I never suggested you could not handle yourself, Isolde. Nor did I call you a child. None of us want to see you harmed. We do not know how far your healing capabilities extend and this is not the time when I want to find out. Just this once, please, remain here." Lucien told her.

He could see the fire building in her eyes, the twin orbs turning, slowly, more vermilion then blue. He stood his ground though. Turning now, backing down in any way, would provoke her. If he provoked her then she would launch herself from the bed, aiming straight for his throat.

"Please, sweetheart. Just this once. Until we can work more on your fighting skills." he added.

Isolde glared at him for a long moment before, with a heaving sigh, she deflated, sinking back until she sat on the bed, legs folded to either side of her. She turned her eyes from him, her chin jutting out in her annoyance.

"Fine, whatever." she said finally.

"Thank you."

Isolde just muttered something under her breath. Lucien approached her, leaning down to place a kiss on the crown of her head.

"Once this is over, when we are sure we are safe, we will work on your fighting skills. I do not want to risk you and neither, for that matter, do the others." he told her.

"You don't keep that promise and I'll make your life even more of a living hell then it already is." was her only reply.

Lucien had a feeling she wasn't joking.

-0-0-0-0-

"Hunters. Titans. Women. **Isolde**. Now unnamed beings with unidentified powers. When does it end?"

Lucien managed to turn so pale that even his scars whitened with him. Maddox had just told him about the being that had been speaking to him. A being that now requested that they meet it, at midnight, without Maddox, without weapons, in a cemetery.

"Every minute that ticks by, it seems something new arises." Maddox replied, running a hand through his dark hair.

"We have several hours, at least, to decide what to do about this. I need to think before we tell the others. Too much is happening at once, to many changes. And to make matters even more complicated, I know Isolde is gearing up to launch a war with us." Lucien said.

"Why?"

"I told her should any battle break out with Hunters she is to remain here, out of harm's way. She was not pleased."

Maddox could picture how Isolde took that. The image wasn't a pretty one. Isolde had a nasty habit of throwing things when she wasn't pleased. Especially if she thought, for even a single second, that someone was looking down on her or saying that she was incompetent. He was surprised that Lucien had made it out of there without a single scratch on him.

"She didn't throw anything at you? Didn't launch herself at you?" Maddox asked.

"No. I feared she would at first, but she gave in fairly easily." Lucien replied, then paused.

Lucien sat forward, realization dawning on him.

"She did give in easily. Far too easily. She's planning something." he said.

Maddox didn't want any part of it if it involved a severely pissed off Isolde. The girl was a little devil when she wanted to be. He hadn't been the one to anger her and he sure as hell wasn't going to be the one paying for it.

"You know where to find me when you need me. I want no part of Isolde and her revenge." Maddox told Lucien before leaving.

Maddox wasn't an idiot. Isolde would rip him a new one and would enjoy every second of it, knowing full well that he wouldn't raise a hand to her in reply. Lucien could deal with that on his own.


	8. Snapping

Author's Note: Right to the chase again. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or any of it's characters. If I did, I would steal weapons off Strider, left and right, just to watch him squirm. Hehe!

Chapter 8 Snapping

Isolde peered around a corner, watching Maddox storm away from a barred door. After a little practice she had managed to use the shadow ability again and had used it to sneak to Lucien's room. She remained where she was until she heard Maddox's footsteps fade down the hall. Slipping out of the shadows once more, which got easier each time she did it, she hurried down the hall and picked the lock, letting herself into the room. The moment she closed the door and turn to the women, all conversation stopped instantly.

"Isolde!?"

Ashlyn rushed at Isolde, wrapping arms around her. Isolde accepted the hug with open arms. Gods, she hadn't had a hug like that since...Isolde shoved the memory away, not willing to dig up old pains at a time like that.

"Hey, Ashlyn. How are all of you doing?" Isolde asked.

Ashlyn grabbed Isolde by the shoulders, holding her at arm's length to look her over from head to toe. She was probably checking for injuries of any kind.

"We're fine. What about you? How did you get here?" Ashlyn asked.

"Did they kidnap you too!? Did those bastards force you here!?"

A young, pretty blonde, that Isolde knew had to be Danika, rose from the bed, latching her eyes on Isolde in horror. Isolde probably looked like a teenager to Danika, a mere child. The idea of the men kidnapping her and hold her there against her will was about to drive Danika's already high temper, through the roof. Isolde shook her head.

"Not at all...I live here."

Silence fell over the room, Ashlyn backing up a step, releasing Isolde. Isolde hated the loss of the closeness, but she wasn't going to falter in the face of these women.

"Those "bastards" as you put it, are my brothers." Isolde added. "Well Lucien is more like a father then a brother, but for the most part they are my brothers."

"What are you saying? Your brothers?" Ashlyn said, shocked.

"You're one of those demons!?" Danika exclaimed.

"Hey! I'm not a demon. And neither are they. They adopted me, took me in and nursed me back to health when I literally fell through their roof. I would have died without their help. They gave me a home worth having." Isolde replied.

"You fell through their roof!?"

Ashlyn's hands flew up to cover her mouth when she spoke. Isolde's back ached just thinking about it and she rolled her shoulders, popping them.

"It's a long story. I'm not supposed to be in here and they would probably give me the tongue lashing of my life if they found me here. I just wanted to see that all of you were fine." Isolde replied, looking them over.

"Can you let us out of here?" Danika's mother asked.

Isolde was shaking her head before she even finished her sentence. Long strands of zebra streaked hair flew around her as she did. There was an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I can't. It's hard to explain to humans but right now, you really are safer here. They may appear cruel and rough, but they are all really nothing more than over grown sweethearts. They have a reason for this and I can't change this path. It could spell disaster for us all. The future must stay on its set course." Isolde told them.

"Humans? You said you weren't a demon!" Danika accused.

Isolde's hands came up in an innocent gesture, showing she wasn't armed and wasn't a threat to them. She gave her a soft smile.

"I'm not. But I'm not human either."

"Then what are you?" Ashlyn asked.

"We're still working on that. I'm not sure what I am, myself, but I'm too hard to kill to be human. I'm friendly, though, I swear. I would never do anything to harm you, even if my life depended on it." Isolde replied.

"What do you want then? To spy on us?" Danika asked.

"No need for me too. I have a gift. It allows me to...know things. A lot of things. I know every word you've spoken here and every word and thought you will have too. I'm not interested in spying. Nor am I interested in doing anything to scare you more than you already are. I just want to check in on you. Aeron is having...problems with his control on his temper lately." Isolde assured them.

 _Baby girl...need...where's baby girl?_

Isolde tilted her head, listening to the voice in her head, ignoring the looks the five women were shooting her direction. Her head half turned towards the door, her attention splintering for a second. Paris was home. He was the only warrior whose demon called her baby girl. That meant the meeting was about to start. She had to be there.

"Paris is home. I have to go. I'm being called. Don't worry. You'll all be set free soon. I'll see to it." Isolde told them, giving them a smile before leaving the room, locking the door behind her.

Isolde found all six warriors in the entertainment room. She could feel Wrath way before she got there. The demon was prowling Aeron's mental hallways, and kept trying to slip into Isolde's. Isolde blocked him out. Violence and Pain were on edge too. Both were picking at her, wanting her to give them the outlet their keepers were currently denying them. Isolde denied them too. Entering the entertainment room made that a little difficult.

The six men all looked up at her as she entered the room. Wrath pounced on her the moment she entered the room, forcefully slamming into the guards she had built. Violence and Pain joined him and the combined force took down her weak guard. She could feel Wrath reaching out to her, sinking in claws, demanding action from her. Isolde's lease on her temper suddenly snapped taunt to a breaking point. That wasn't good.

"Isolde-"

"I'm not talking to you. I'm still mad at you." Isolde snapped at Lucien, cutting him off as she turned on her heels and planted herself on the couch, next to Paris, leaning into the man's side.

Lucien sensed there was more to her anger then just being mad at him and didn't egg her on. It would be begging for her to attack him.

"I'm sick of this shit. Just once today, I'd like to stay in town and relax after screwing, rather than rushing back here. Hello, I can't flash like Lucien." Paris remarked, hooking an arm around Isolde and turning on his favorite, naked mud wrestling, Xbox game. "What's the meeting about this time? And FYI, I didn't see any Hunters."

"That's because all you see are potential bedmates." Aeron replied.

"And there's a downside to that?" Paris asked.

"Stop arguing. We've got some business to take care of, and I don't think anyone's going to like what they hear. Especially after what we learned of Isolde's abilities involving our demons. Tell them, Aeron." Lucien said.

"I've felt the first stirrings of Wrath. Nothing drastic. Yet. It's manageable, but I'm not sure how long that will last." Aeron admitted, his words punctuated by the pounding of his fist in the stone wall.

"He can smell the humans now, and their scents won't leave his nose." Reyes said.

"Fuck. That was fast." Paris said, his skin paling in color.

"No fuck?" Isolde snapped.

All eyes turned to the girl, who was starting to fume. Fume at what? At the fact that no matter how hard she shoved at Wrath, he shoved right back at her.

Fuming at her irrational sudden need to punish the men around her for things they had done, fuming at the need to fight someone-clearly that was Violence peeking in and not Wrath-, fuming at the want to cause pain-that would be Pain-and fuming at the thought that Lucien didn't think she could hack fighting for herself.

"Isolde...You're eyes are draining of the blue." Paris said looking down at her.

"Really? Thanks for that update, man-whore." Isolde retorted.

The girl caught her words the moment she said them and groaned, sinking farther into the couch and Paris' side. She scrubbed her hands down her face, shoving them into her hair and yanking at it.

"I'm sorry Paris! I didn't mean it." Isolde told him.

One of Paris' hand settled on the back of her neck, kneading the tension from the muscles there.

"It's alright, baby girl." he assured her.

"Isolde, sweetheart, when did you start feeling Wrath?" Lucien asked.

"When I walked in the door. He hit my brain like a ton of bricks. Looks like the closer I am, the stronger the connection. And it's not just Wrath." Isolde replied.

Lucien's eyes went to Maddox.

"What?" Maddox asked.

"It's not just Violence either. Pain is making his presence known." Isolde said, rubbing her temples. "My head hurts."

"It's alright, baby girl." Paris told her, kissing the crown of her head, his fingers still kneading her neck.

"We will find a way to control this, Isolde." Lucien promised her.

"Until then...do you want to beat up Aeron?" Paris asked.

Aeron shot Paris a glare, but Paris had managed to put a ghost of a smile on Isolde's face. Isolde heaved a sigh.

"No. It's not his fault. I'll manage." Isolde replied. "We should be more concerned with how fast the blood lust is setting in."

"No one knows how fast it's setting in than me." Aeron remarked, though he felt guilty that he was dragging Isolde down with him.

Maddox didn't like this. He had learned, not long ago, that not only were there more Hunters in Budapest, Isolde was channeling their demons. Whenever any of them got worked up, their demon rearing their ugly heads, they tried to get a second outlet through Isolde. She had already beat the crap out of Reyes when Violence had latched onto her earlier.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can go without hurting them and the longer I fight it, the more Wrath latches onto Isolde. Already I see their bloody bodies in my mind and I like it." Aeron said, his voice cracking at the end.

Then his panicked eyes swung to Isolde who was still rubbing at her temples.

"You are not...the blood lust is not..." Aeron didn't know how to phrase it to the girl.

Isolde looked up at him. She knew what he wanted to ask.

"I don't feel the need to kill or hurt them. Just to hurt you for not doing it." she told him.

Aeron nodded, jaw set. He would let her hurt him if it would ease Wrath's grip on her. And Isolde knew it too.

"Does no one have an idea?" Reyes asked. "Anything thing that might save them and spare both Isolde and Aeron?"

Silence fell over the room. Isolde knew what would have to be done to break the blood-lust curse on Aeron but it wasn't time for that. Paris hadn't met Sienna yet. Everything would have to happen in its own time.

"Talking about it is pointless. We're only tormenting ourselves, trying to come up with a solution that isn't there. We can't approach the Titans; they'll give us all another curse and perhaps even curse Isolde too. We can't set the women free and tell them to hide. Aeron will only be forced to follow them. And we can't send Isolde away either. Hunters could find her. So, I say let him do it." Torin said.

"That's a little callous even for you, Disease." Reyes said, firing a glare at him.

"Not callous. He's just trying to reason it out. But that's not going to do anything except drive Aeron to the breaking point. He's too close as it is." Isolde remarked, pulling her knees up to put her head between them.

Paris rubbed her back, the others watching her. Maddox didn't like this. He couldn't help but think about what he would do if Aeron had been ordered to kill Ashlyn. The thought sent him to his feet with a roar, smashing his fist into the wall. All conversation stop and everyone but Isolde turned to look at him.

"The little woman isn't calming us, I see." Torin remarked with a laugh.

Aeron shot Lucien a look, which Maddox caught. It only served to send his anger up another notch.

"What?" Maddox snapped.

"Nothing. Just...nothing." Aeron said, Lucien's hands going up in innocence.

"How many times do you have to be told? She's Bait, man. Surely you know that." Reyes told him, tossing his blade so that it landed, blade sinking into the wall, just over Maddox's shoulder.

Paris had returned to his game, Isolde raising her head enough to watch them.

"If you don't, you're a fool. Maybe I'll kill your precious Ashlyn when I kill the others, and break her spell over you once and for all." Aeron remarked.

Isolde, knowing what was coming next, was scrambling over the back of the couch, repeating "shit" over and over under her breath, the others staring. She had just cleared the back of the couch when Maddox erupted.

"Ah, hell. Look at his face. You knew better, Aeron." Lucien said.

Isolde drew back into a corner as Maddox tore into the room, knocking over tables, kicking chairs, as he flew towards Aeron. When the plasma screen hit the floor Paris protested with a, "Hey, I was winning". Aeron had two blades unsheathed by the time he reached him but Maddox didn't bother with weapons. Isolde knew when Maddox paused that Ashlyn was on his thoughts. Reyes and Lucien took the chance to jump him, dragging him to the ground, causing the man to howl in rage. Fist flew as Paris and Aeron joined the fray.

Isolde watched the rolling mass of muscled bodies, the combined voices of Wrath, Violence, and Pain nagging at her inner ear. Punish them, Wrath insisted. Maim them, Violence begged. Hurt them, be hurt, Pain pleaded. Torin saw the blue leech completely from Isolde's eyes, the twin orbs turning blood red, but couldn't stop her before she threw herself into the fray.

She hit Maddox hard in the side, landed a boot heel in the side of Aeron's head, dug nails into Reyes' neck. She managed to avoid Lucien and Paris for the most part and tore into the other three with a viciousness she hadn't known she had.

All five men cursed when she slipped in among them. Lucien tried to yank her from the pile while keeping Maddox contained, but Isolde just bit him, latching teeth hard in his hand. He yanked his hand back with a dark oath and Isolde landed a bone cracking hit to Aeron's nose.

"Pin his fucking legs."

"Can't. Got his arms."

"Knock him out, Paris."

"Sure. Want me to spew diamonds from my ass while I'm at it?"

"Someone grab Isolde before she breaks my nose again."

"Damn it! She bit me!"

"Fuck! Baby girl that's my leg!"

Isolde released Paris' leg only when he released his grip on the back of her shorts. Free, she twisted and slammed a left hook into Maddox's jaw, rattling his teeth and filling his mouth with blood. Maddox thanked her by seizing her by the throat, slamming her into the floor, pinning her there with his grip around her neck. Isolde breath was cut off, her brain kicking into panic mode as memories flooded her brain.

Isolde, only nine, pinned to the ground, spitting and hissing, fighting for all she was worth, a man laughing in her face as he choked her. Isolde, the old fear filling her suddenly, exploded with a shrill shriek that had several of the men covering their ears. Isolde surged up against Maddox, grabbing him around the throat and knocking him back. When he landed on his back, she laid into him with her fist, rounding with an ungodly screech on those who touched her.

Her attack only egged Maddox on and he threw the girl from him. Isolde's back hit a table, smashing it under her weight but she didn't care. She rolled back to her feet and flew at him. Lucien, Reyes, Aeron, and Paris joined back in, Lucien trying to subdue Isolde, finding it next to impossible.

The fight continued on, Maddox blindly fighting all until Ashlyn's face flashed through his head. He stilled, finally snapping out of it. He tried to sit up but the men's grip tightened on him, keeping him in place. He relaxed, stopped moving, though he could hear spitting and hissing, could feel one of the men struggling with something else.

"He's stopped moving." Reyes said in surprise.

"I can't see the spirit anymore." Aeron added in confusion.

"Hey. We didn't even have to chain him." Paris said.

"This is a first." Torin remarked, laughing.

"That is great, but we may have to chain Isolde." came Lucien's strained voice as he continued to fight to hold both Maddox and Isolde who was wiggling with all she had.

They all released Maddox, Lucien turning his full attention to Isolde as she sank her teeth into the muscle of his forearm. Lucien cursed, letting her go as Maddox shook his head to clear it.

"Help." Lucien demanded as Isolde rounded him.

It was then that they all got a look at Isolde's face. Her features were twisted in pain, panicked fear, and rage. Her eyes were completely red, the pupils nothing more than tiny dots in the sea of red and were glazed over as if she was in a trance, memories swimming in their depths. With another ungodly shriek she launched herself at Lucien.

The man let her knock him back, grabbing her arms and twisting, trying to pin them. Isolde rocked back and planted a boot heel in his face. Reyes caught her at the stomach with an arm, knocking the air from her lungs and tossing her back away from Lucien. Paris caught her, wrapping his arms around her to pin hers at her side.

"Baby girl, calm down. It's alright." Paris cooed into her ear as she fought against him.

Lucien knelled in front of them, grabbing Isolde's face, cupping her cheeks.

"Isolde, sweetheart, snap out of it." he told her.

Isolde went stiff, fighting with control. Mentally she broke free of the memories clouding her head. Violence had backed off as Maddox snapped out of his rage, but Wrath and Pain were still bouncing through her head. Isolde kicked them to the curb with a lot of mental cursing, and started pulling her senses back together. She had the taste of blood in her mouth and was sure it wasn't hers. Her throat was protesting and several parts of her hurt. None as much as her fist. Her knuckles still hadn't been healed from beating on Reyes and now they ached more.

As they watched, Isolde's eyes cleared, the red fading back to vermilion and the blue edges returning, until she blinked, coming back to herself. Her eyes darted around and the fear, panic, and rage turned to shame, fear, and panic.

"It's alright, sweetheart." Lucien assured her as she started to shake, sinking back against Paris. "Do you want to talk to us?"

"I...I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. I wanted to help and then Maddox pinned me. It was an instinctive response! I didn't mean to lose control. I'm so sorry." Isolde promised, her voice hoarse and cracking.

An instinctive response? They had seen how she had reacted the moment Maddox had seized her by the throat and had pinned her. She had come completely unglued on them all, the fear in her eyes so strong, just remembering it made all of them want to kill whoever had installed that fear in her. It wasn't an instinctive response. It was one hammered into her from years of fighting for her life. That much they could tell. Someone, at one point in her life, had done to her what Maddox had done and it had terrified the girl senseless.

"Who scared you like that, Isolde?" Lucien asked sternly. "Tell me."

Isolde instantly shook her head so hard, Lucien had to release her face as her hair whipped Paris across the face. She twisted in Paris' arms, sinking into him until she could hide her face in his bicep.

"Isolde-"

"No." Isolde croaked, cutting him off. "I'm fine. I shouldn't have lost control. I'm sorry."

Lucien knew that stubbornness. She didn't want to talk and she wouldn't. Isolde had her pride and she wasn't going to admit to weakness. To her, that was exactly what this was. He sat back on his heels and looked at his friends. Torin was no longer laughing and Lucien could see anger in the eyes of all of his friends. He felt it too. The strong anger, the strong need to hurt whoever had hurt Isolde. Twenty she might be but she was like a baby sister to all of them and they protected their own. Though she was away from whoever had done that to her, they still had a hold of her, were still haunting her, hurting her.

Paris stroked Isolde's hair, calming her as she fought to calm her shaking her. He cooed into her ear. Lucien took one of her hands, looking over the knuckles. They had just almost healed and now were right back in the same condition they had been in. Her little hands were black and blue, the knuckles blood and scraped nearly clean of skin.

"No more punching until these are healed. Alright, sweetheart?" Lucien told her.

He got a nod in reply. Lucien helped Paris to his feet, Paris still cradling Isolde to his chest. The cushions on the couch were missing so Paris sat on the spring, settling Isolde in his lap. Isolde turned her hands over, looking at the knuckles. After Maddox pinned her, she couldn't remember who she had hit or anything. She did remember seizing Maddox by the throat as he had done to her, though.

"Good now?" Reyes asked looking from Maddox to Isolde.

"Yes." came Maddox's hoarse voice as he pushed himself to his feet and dropped to sit next to Paris.

"Yeah." Isolde added, laying her head on Paris' shoulder.

"Good thing Torin knows how to invest. Looks like it's time to splurge on new furniture." Paris said looking around the room.

"Where were we?" Lucien asked, thumbing a cut on his forehead and looking over a set of bite marks on his forearm.

Isolde felt her stomach turn in shame, knowing she had to of been the one that did it.

"I'm sorry."

Both Isolde and Maddox said it at the same time. Maddox looked at Isolde who offered him a tiny smile in reply. Lucien just nodded at them, even if he was surprised that Maddox had apologized. Isolde had already apologized...three times.

"The women. I say we give it more time. Unlike some of us-" Reyes sent Maddox a look as he settled on his other side "-Aeron has his spirit under control right now, whether it's stirring or not. We just need to keep Isolde from snapping and attacking him because of Wrath's urgings."

"I agree." Lucien said.

Isolde felt Paris shift and move farther away from Maddox, taking her with him. She shifted her eyes to Maddox and saw why, a laugh bubbling up in her chest despite how bad she felt.

"Uh, I'm happy to sit close to you and everything, but I had no idea you would like it so much. And that had better not be for baby girl." Paris muttered, arm tightening around Isolde.

"It's not for either of you." Maddox replied, a blush creeping up into his cheeks.

"Thank the gods." Paris replied.

"You shouldn't be looking there on your friend anyhow." Isolde retorted, flicking Paris' chin.

Paris just smiled down at her, glad she was feeling herself enough to scold him for something so idiotic.

"Speaking of the gods, Maddox, now might be a good time to tell the others about the voice you heard." Lucien prompted.

"You mean the voice that appeared in his head tell him to send all of you to the cemetery at midnight with no weapons?" Isolde asked.

All eyes turned to her.

"Will we never be able to keep anything from you?" Maddox asked.

"You can try."

Maddox heaved a sigh as Lucien turned to Aeron. Paris shifted Isolde on his lap and started fiddling with something while she listened to the conversation.

"You know these new gods better than any of us. What do you make of this? Does it sound like something the Titans would do?" Lucien asked.

"I'm not an expert on them, but I do not think so, no. There would be no reason to concern themselves with our weapons. Useful as they are in battling Hunters, they'd be futile in war with the gods." Aeron replied.

"It's not the gods." Isolde assured them before Paris woohoo-ed making the others look at him.

"Got my game back on with the mini-TV I'd stashed in case something like this happened." Paris told them with a sheepish shrug.

"Let's assume for the moment that the voice belongs to a Hunter that means we're now dealing with a Hunter who has a formidable ability. And since it's doubtful he's working alone, we have to wonder if his friends have similar powers." Lucien said.

"We're stronger than mere mortals, special powers or not. We can take them." Aeron insisted.

"Yes, if we can outwit them. Remember Greece? The Hunters were not as strong as we were but they managed to hurt us time and time again. Now a trap has most likely been set in the cemetery." Maddox said.

"It's so obviously a trap, though. Do you really think Hunters would be stupid enough to think you'd fall for that?" Isolde pipped in.

"Humans are stupid." Reyes remarked.

Isolde shot him a look that shut him up pretty quickly.

"Either way, I can't go-I'll be dead-but everyone else can. You can turn their trap against them and kill them." Maddox added in.

"At midnight, Reyes and I will be here, with you. That leaves Paris and Aeron, since Torin can't leave, either, and Isolde **will not** be going. We can't send the two of them to fight a battle when we don't know the odds." Lucien said, shaking his head.

"Let's leave now, then. There are seven hours until midnight. That's plenty of time for me to fight and return." Maddox suggested.

Silent and surprised stares turned on Maddox.

"Someone has to stay here and protect the women." Reyes pointed out.

"That better not include me. I just kicked your ass." Isolde told him.

Reyes, smartly, didn't say a word in reply.

"I agree." Maddox said, agreeing with Reyes.

"Well, I don't agree. Killing the Hunters is more important than guarding the women." Lucien said, giving the two men an apologetic smile.

"Someone stays behind to guard, or you fight without me." Maddox insisted.

"We'll go without you." Lucien said then.

"Tell me what you intend to do, then, to ensure victory." Maddox retorted.

There was a pause in which Lucien and Aeron exchanged a tense look.

"What am I, chopped liver?"

All eyes turned to Isolde, who had finally returned to normal and was sitting on Paris' left knee, his arm wrapped around her waist to keep her from falling off.

"You are not fighting." Lucien said finally.

"I'm not talking about fighting. Apparently this voice that spoke to Maddox, doesn't know I'm here. I could scout ahead. They should have no interest in a random human visiting a grave." Isolde said.

Wouldn't do much. She knew they would tell her no, and that Kane, who they were supposed to meet, wouldn't be a threat to them anyway. So it didn't matter.

"No." Lucien said, just as she knew he would.

Isolde huffed anyway. He ignored her and bent to pick up a long, rolled-up paper that had fallen to the floor during the fight. He strode to the couch and unrolled it.

"You will remain here with Maddox, out of trouble and out of danger." Lucien told her, Isolde snapping her teeth at him.

He grimaced only because he knew what it felt like to have those teeth sinking deep in anger. But he continued on.

"Would've been nice to do this on the coffee table, even the pool table. As thorough as you are, though, you overturned and cracked both. The coffee table being what you threw Isolde through." Lucien remarked.

Maddox shot Isolde an apologetic look that she waved off with an, "I'm fine".

"She has wood splinters in her back." Paris remarked, pulling one out.

Isolde hissed over her shoulder at him as he removed the rest.

"I have already apologized, and tomorrow I will repair them." Maddox told Lucien.

"Good. As you can see, this is a printed map of the city. Earlier, when we were planning and you were otherwise occupied, we decided to set a trap in this abandoned area." Lucien told Maddox, circling a bumpy-looking stretch of land to the south. "There are hills and no houses, which makes it the perfect place to strike. We'll wait there and let the Hunters come to us."

"That's it? That is your plan?" Maddox asked.

"Well, that and kill them. It's a good plan." Lucien told him.

"And not all of it." Isolde muttered.

Paris heft her onto his other knee, hard enough to jostle her painfully. Maddox shot them a look, but let it go when Isolde didn't say another word.

"They may not come. They may be at the cemetery." Maddox said to Lucien.

"They'll come." Lucien insisted.

"How do you know?"

"Yeah, Lucien, how do you know?" Isolde added in.

Paris bounced his leg hard, making Isolde shoot him a glare. He grinned back at her. Lucien swapped a look with Aeron.

"I have a gut feeling." he said.

Maddox snorted, not catching on to the fact that Isolde was trying to get him to question this farther.

"Your gut could be wrong. We should at least secure the hill before you go so that no one sneaks up while you're gone and I'm dead." Maddox said.

"Fine. Let's get to work." Lucien agreed.

Isolde snapped a hand to her face, making Maddox look at her in confusion but Paris sat his game controller down and got to his feet, hauling Isolde with him.

"I'm going to go pick all the wood out of baby girl's back. I'll join you when I'm done." Paris told him.

Isolde muttered to herself as he carried her out of the room. The only thing they caught was a sharply muttered, "-skin you alive." before they vanished from the room.


	9. Breaking And Pissing Off

Author's Note: You know the drill by now. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series, or any of it's characters. Even though I use Gideon Speak quite often anyhow.

Chapter 9 Breaking and Pissing Off

Sabin, keeper of Doubt, lay on a bed in the Hotel Taverna, staring at the ceiling. He and his group had traveled from New York to Budapest looking for Pandora's box to destroy it. What he had found was the six friends he had split from centuries ago. Friends who now hated him. Not that he blamed them. He had nearly taken Aeron's head when the warrior had tried to stop him from burning Athens to the ground in an attempt to draw out the Hunters who had killed their friend, Baden.

Since arriving in Budapest, he had seen Paris a few times, here and there, but had kept his distance. He had tried to project himself in the minds of those in the fortress but had only reached one. A woman named Danika, who had told him nothing he didn't already know.

All he knew was that his old friends were alive, living in the massive fortress, and they were armed out the ass. That he had learned from a Hunter a month ago. The same one who had told him about the search for Pandora's Box. He had learned that Hunters had been planning for weeks to storm the fortress and capture the warriors inside, but hadn't figured out how. Then there was the changing of the higher up, so to speak. From the we-don't-give-a-crap Greeks to the have-to-be-in-control Titans. Something he hadn't expected to happen.

From the short time he had spent in their presence when they had summoned him to answer their questions, he didn't think he liked them. Why they had summoned him and not the others, was beyond him. He didn't know anything and he sure didn't know if Maddox would pass on his message. He hoped he did and that they would come. Sabin wanted to make his presence known to his old friends, but wanted to have the advantage when he did.

Then there was the weird change with his demon. Since arriving in Budapest, now and then, when he was out and about, there would be times when his demon would tune into something or someone who apparently drove it up the wall. It instantly went crazy, trying to fly out of Sabin's head to reach whatever it was. All the demon had said was, "Knows". The others had experienced something along the same lines, though their demons reacted in different ways. Whatever it was, Sabin had never found it.

Just then the door of his room flew open. Sabin might have thrown the knife he reached for if he hadn't saw that it was his friends.

"What kind of welcome is that?" Kane asked, Cameo, Amun, and Gideon behind him.

Sabin pushed himself up onto his elbows, leaning back against the headboard.

"Anything?" he asked.

"Plenty." Gideon replied, unable to speak the truth.

"Nothing." Kane corrected with a roll of his eyes.

"Where's Strider?" Sabin asked.

"He couldn't accept defeat. He's still looking." Kane said, cutting of Gideon before he could speak.

"The locals are unwilling to give us any information. For some reason they consider the warriors-get this-angels and don't want to betray them." Cameo said dropping to sit on a lounge across from the bed.

Sabin turned his eyes to Amun then.

"Did you learn anything?"

Amun leaned against the wall, a dark spot against the white wall.

"Nothing to help our cause. Except for the women who've slept with Paris and Maddox and only know the size of their cocks, the townspeople have always remained at a distance from the warriors, so they don't know enough for Amun to divine a secret." Cameo answered for him.

The door swung open again, Strider flying into the room looking a mess. Sabin knew he had found something or he wouldn't have come back and wouldn't be standing before them perfectly fine.

"Tell us." Sabin demanded.

"As we suspected, Hunters are already here." Strider said with a grin.

"Let's capture and question them and find out if they know more than we do." Cameo said.

"No need. I already detained one." Strider replied.

"And?" Sabin asked.

"Like that Hunter told you last month, they're here to capture the Lords on the hill. They've got someone on the inside."

"I'm delighted to hear this." Gideon replied, the others ignoring him.

"No mention of the box?" Kane asked, a light bulb shortening out in the lamp beside him, spraying him with sparks.

"None."

Sabin shook his head when the lamp tipped over, nailing Kane on the head. Kane simply brushed the tiny flame from his hair and rubbed with the lamp had hit. He moved away from the lamp and eased onto the floor as far away from the others as he could get.

"Also, from what I learned a lot of the Hunters have been going missing. They find bodies now and then with their throats slit wide open. But they don't know who's killing them." Strider added.

Sabin looked up at him.

"And you lost two guns today." Cameo added, Strider grimacing at that.

"How?" Sabin asked.

"A girl bumped into me on the street today. She snatched my guns off me and she knew my name. I couldn't find her after she ran away. But Sabin, I think she's the one that's making our demons act weird. When she bumped into me, Defeat about screamed my ear drums into exploding." Strider added.

"And you could find her afterward?" Sabin asked.

Strider shook his head. Sabin frowned. Whoever this girl was, she knew them, or at least Strider, and if she was the cause of the way the demons were acting then they needed to deal with that too.

"We'll deal with that later. Where are the Hunters now?" Sabin asked.

"Meeting at a club, according to my source. I already checked it out, and it's about five minutes from here." Strider replied.

Sabin was torn between the club and the cemetery. He couldn't be in both places at once, no matter how much he wanted to be.

"I need one of you to go to the cemetery tonight. Fully armed. I did my best to draw the warriors there. You can decide what to do if you see them. The rest of us will visit club." Sabin told them.

"I'll take the cemetery. The club might collapse if I go." Kane said.

Which was true enough. As if to demonstrate this, a chunk of plaster chose that moment to fall from the wall and, once again, nail Kane on the head. Sabin sighed as Kane winced.

"If all goes well, we might get the answers we've been waiting for and finally, once and for all, be able to destroy Pandora's Box. Now let's move out."

-0-0-0-0-

When eleven-thirty approached, Isolde locked herself in her room and refused to answer the door for any of them. They knew she was still upset about the fact that they wouldn't let her help them. So they left her be for the time being. Lucien would talk to her afterward.

"May the gods smile on us this night." Lucien muttered as he, Reyes, and Maddox rushed to Maddox's room.

For most of the trip all that could be heard was the sound of their feet on the floor. Each man lost to his own thoughts, Maddox's centering around Ashlyn.

"Perhaps we can convince these Titans to release you from this curse. Maybe that is what Isolde meant when she said you could be freed." Lucien said, dragging Maddox from his thoughts.

After seeing what they were putting Aeron through, Maddox believed the Titans to be cruder then the Greeks. He wouldn't risk asking anything of them if he could help it.

"I do not think I want to risk it." he told Lucien.

"Maybe there is an alternative to the gods. Isolde said you would be freed. But how?" Reyes piped in.

If there really was a way, they would have found it by now.

"Perhaps Isolde is wrong." Maddox said.

"She has yet to be wrong about anything, Maddox." Lucien reminded him.

The trio entered Maddox's room then, and Maddox climbed onto the bed, allowing his friends to chain him to the metal bed frame.

"When this is over, check on Ashlyn. If she is well, leave her in the room with the other women. Perhaps even put Isolde in there too. If not, lock her in another room and I will care for her in the morning. But no more dungeons. No more cruelty. Feed her, but do not give her wine. Understood?" Maddox asked.

Lucien and Reyes shared a tense look and stepped away from the bed, out of spitting range. Neither spoke a word and Isolde's words drifted into Maddox's head.

" _And not all of it_."

She had suggested that there was more to Lucien's plan then the man had been willing to tell Maddox and not Maddox was starting to get a dread filled feeling in his stomach that wasn't caused by the approaching of his death-curse.

"Reyes, Lucien. What's going on?" Maddox questioned. "Does this have to do with what Isolde said?"

"About the woman," Lucien started and then paused.

"I'm trying to remain calm, tell me you have not done anything to her." Maddox said, a black haze shuttering his vision.

"We haven't." Lucien replied.

Maddox released a breath, the black haze clearing.

"We haven't done anything to her, but we're going to."

Maddox took a moment to register that before he bucked against the chains.

"Let me loose. Now!" Maddox demanded.

"She's Bait, Maddox." Reyes said quietly.

"No. She isn't. Isolde even said so! She's cursed, like we are. Cursed to hear ancient conversations." Maddox told them.

"You're too enthralled with her to admit the truth. That she may have a strange ability only solidifies my belief that she is Bait, exactly like the voice you heard in your head today. How better to learn about us? How better to discover the best way to defeat us?" Lucien replied.

"You said yourself that Isolde has yet to be wrong!" Maddox replied.

Lucien didn't reply to that one. Maddox could tell his choice would not be changed and strained against the chains.

"Hurt her, and I will kill you. That is not a threat, it's a vow. I'll spend the rest of my days seeing to your torture and ultimate death." he growled.

Reyes tangled a hand into his hair until his hair stood up on end.

"You're not thinking clearly now, but someday you will thank us for this. We're taking her into the city. We're using her to draw out the Hunters. That is the piece of the plan we didn't tell you. That Isolde tried to hint to you." he told Maddox.

Isolde had known, had probably been told to keep quiet, and had tried to warn him anyhow. He had been too blind to see it. Isolde was a true friend. In Maddox's mind the rest were bastards and betrayers. He had never expected them to do it.

"Why are you telling me now? Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"We'll do our best to bring her back in the same condition she leaves in." was the only reply Reyes gave him.

Maddox fought against the chains. Trying, and failing, to break the chains and only managing to bend the metal headboard. He bucked and roared Ashlyn's name.

"I don't understand how he can be this fierce over one woman." Lucien remarked faintly.

"Such devotion is dangerous." Reyes agreed.

Even if he tried to fight, midnight came and Reyes stepped up to his side, sword in hand. He apologized before he drove the blade home in Maddox's stomach. Maddox silently pleaded with the demon to tell Isolde to protect Ashlyn. He didn't know if the demon did as he asked, never knew when the demon spoke to Isolde, but he hoped.

That was all he could do.

-0-0-0-0-

"Think Maddox's woman is out here?"

Aeron looked at Paris.

"Could be." he replied.

They had looked for Ashlyn and hadn't been able to find her anywhere. They had given up pretty quickly and had headed into the city anyhow. Lucien had flashed into the cemetery first, but had found nothing and, after a lot of protest from Torin, had got Torin to take over the post. Now they were heading through the city, acting as Bait themselves, since they didn't have Ashlyn.

Before they had left, Lucien had checked in on Isolde, finding the girl asleep in her bed. He had checked to make sure that she was indeed in bed and had found her curled under the blanket in her night gown, the earbuds of her music player in her ears and the music so loud, he could hear it entering her room.

Lucien had locked the door and used timber and nails to trap her inside.

They had left her there.

People jumped out of their way, many speaking of men asking about them, men who were now at Club Destiny.

"Men were asking about us." Aeron said through clenched teeth.

A woman passed then, greeting them though her eyes were for Paris only.

"A kiss." she pleaded.

"Always." Paris said with a smile, leaving her with a kiss.

"Later. Take us to this Club Destiny." Aeron barked at him.

"Next time." Paris promised the woman, taking the lead to the club. When they entered the club, they stared around at the scene. Humans crowded the dance floor, light pulsing from the ceiling above. Many backed away from them when they saw them.

"See them?" Reyes asked, continuing to scan the room.

"Not yet, but I know they're here." Aeron replied.

"Hello, heaven. Look at those sweet little morsels." Paris said in a husky voice.

"Mind out of their pants." Reyes snapped.

"Five minutes. That's all I need." Paris pleaded.

"Later."

"Now."

"What are you, a child? Your cock is not a toy, so stop playing with it for one damn night."

"Gods. It can't be. Look." Lucien said, stunned as his motioned to the back of the club with a tilt of his chin.

The others followed his gaze, their eyes landing on Sabin and his group.

"Sabin. What's he doing here? Why now...He's still warring with the Hunters. He probably brought them to our doorstep." Aeron growled.

"Only one way to find out." Lucien said.

They weren't the first to move. Sabin led his group to them, his eyes on them and them alone. Lucien finally led them forward, the two groups meeting in the middle of the dance floor, humans quickly clearing their way.

"What are you doing here?" Lucien demanded, speaking in English.

"I could ask you that, as well." Sabin replied in the same language.

"Here to stab someone else in the back, Doubt?" Aeron asked.

"It's been a couple thousand years, Wrath. Ever heard of a thing called forgiveness?" Sabin replied, popping his jaw.

"That's funny coming from you."

"We didn't come here to fight you. We came to fight Hunters. They're in town, in case you hadn't heard." Sabin told him.

"We heard. Did you lead them here?" Aeron asked.

"Hardly. They learned about you before we did."

"How?"

"Don't know."

"I highly doubt you'd travel all the way to Budapest to fight. You could have stayed in Greece for that." Lucien said with a bit of bite in his tone.

"Fine. You want the truth? We need your help." Strider said, spreading his arms.

"To quote a dear friend, not a no, not a hell no, but a hell, fucking no." Paris said, shaking his head. "We don't even need to hear how or why, 'cause the answer won't change."

"We are not the same warriors we used to be. Hear us out, at least." Cameo said.

"We do need your help. We're looking for dimOuniak. Pandora's Box. Do you know where it is?" Sabin asked.

"After all these years, you want the box? Why?" Lucien asked.

Doubts played in Aeron's head and it finally clicked that it was being projected there by Sabin's demon.

"Get out of my head, Sabin." Aeron growled.

"Sorry. Habit." Sabin said with a weak smile.

"So you're the one who tried to lure us to the cemetery unarmed. I thought you didn't want to fight us." Aeron said dryly.

"Wasn't sure of my welcome and didn't want to tempt Fate. And since I failed to draw you there, Kane's going to have a boring night with the corpses. What are you doing here, by the way? Did you hear the Hunters would be here, too?" Sabin replied.

"We sent Torin to the cemetery, so Kane's night will be anything but boring. And yes, we tracked the Hunters here, though I don't see them." Lucien replied.

"Disease is with Kane?"

Sabin pulled a walkie-talkie from his pocket and raised it to his mouth.

"Kane. Stand down. Friendly fire." he said into the device.

"Roger that. I know." was the reply before Sabin returned the radio to his pocket.

"We good now?"

"Not even close." Aeron snapped.

"Do you know about the Titans?" Strider asked.

"Yes." Lucien replied.

"Any idea what they want from us?" Cameo asked.

"No." Aeron answered.

"Listen, old friends, I know you hate us, I know we want different things. But one thing we all have in common is a will to live. About a month ago we learned that Hunters are searching for Pandora's Box. If they find it, our demons are in danger of being sucked inside. That means we're in danger of dying." Sabin explained.

"How do you know it hasn't been destroyed already?" Reyes asked.

"I don't, but I'm not willing to take a chance that maybe it's gone forever."

The six warriors had given the box very little thought, didn't know where it was. But they knew someone who possibly did.

Isolde.

The girl said she knew everything of their past, present, and future. She had probably even known they would run into Sabin and his friends tonight. She could possibly know where the box was and if it was even still in one piece. But they weren't going to tell Sabin that. Isolde refused to tell them anything. She wouldn't tell Sabin either and he would resort to drastic measures.

No.

They would not tell Sabin about Isolde.

"We don't know where it is. Alright?" Lucien replied, running a hand through his hair.

A woman plastering herself to Paris' side, licking his neck, had Reyes shaking his head.

"We should take this conversation elsewhere." Reyes said.

"Let's go to your fortress. Perhaps, together, we will remember something about the way it was taken." Sabin suggested.

"No." Aeron and Reyes said together.

"Well, I could happily stay here all night." Gideon said, irritated.

"Your fortress? I'm ready to leave when you are." Sabin prompted.

"No." Aeron said again.

"Fine. We'll stay here. Just give me a moment to send everyone home." Sabin said, closing his eyes, his expression turning intense.

The music stopped, the dancing ceasing. Uncertainly fell over everyone and with some muttering, everyone left. Sabin's shoulders slumped once everyone was gone and he expelled a long, exhausted breath.

"There. We're alone." he told them.

It was easy to tell that Sabin was fighting for patience.

"Why don't we strike a deal? We'll take care of the Hunters who have invaded your city if you'll help us find the box. It's a fair exchange. We've battled them for years and know just how to strike." Sabin offered.

"I found one earlier and interrogated him. That's how we knew to come to the club, but so far we've seen no trace of the rest." Strider added.

A flash of something moving, drew Aeron's attention.

"Someone stayed behind." he muttered, putting the others on alert.

Aeron picked out five humans, all male, all well-muscled and could even smell gunpowder.

"Hunters. How's that for a trace?" Aeron growled.

One human stepped forward, the spinning strobe light landing on the man's young face. His right wrist was marked with the infinity tattoo.

"Who would've thought we'd get all the world's evil together in the same room at the same time? Seriously, is it Christmas?" the man said, holding up a small black box, two wires hanging from it.

All of the warriors drew weapons, but it was Aeron who stuck, nailing the man with two knives to the chest. The man fell to his knees, panting with his pain.

"You'll pray for death when we're done with you. You and that little zebra streaked haired bitch of yours that's been killing our men." he gasped.

Lucien and his group stiffened. They knew only one person with zebra streaks in her hair and that was Isolde.

"Burn in hell, demon!" another human shouted, tossing a dagger.

The warriors were forced to drop thoughts of Isolde from their minds as one warrior fired his gun, a blade piercing Aeron's chest. Lucien and the others sprang forward but the Hunters didn't back down.

"I hope you enjoy the fire." one Hunter said, swiping up the black box his fallen friend had dropped and hitting a button.

An explosion rocked the entire building, blowing through stone and metal alike. All of the warriors were knocked from their feet as if they weighted no more than feathers. Aeron's last thought of disgust at being beaten by a human.

-0-0-0-0-

When Maddox heard the return of his friends, his first thought had been on revenge. That thought had quickly changed when he reached the foyer to find his friends, as well as Sabin and his group, there, bloody and beaten.

"Sabin?" Maddox asked in shock.

None of them paid him any attention. Maddox looked over each of his friends in turn, taking in their injuries. His eyes, at last, landed on Aeron who was cuffed to the banister and cursing very loudly. He kept muttering darkly under his breath, saying things like "Kill. I must kill." and "I need their blood. Hmm, blood.".

Wrath had taken over and Maddox knew that any moment now, Isolde would be down the stairs, her mood darkening as Wrath jumped ship from Aeron to her. She would end up having to be cuffed too. Especially if she reacted as she had the last time.

"What's going on? Did you set off one of our traps on the hill?" Maddox asked.

"No. Those we avoided." Sabin muttered.

"Bomb." Reyes said, busy trying to remove boots half melted to his feet, a smile on his face from the pain.

"One of ours?" Maddox asked.

"Hardly. I know better than to blow myself up." Reyes said, before heaving a sigh and looking up at him. "Why aren't you railing on me?"

In reply Maddox yanked free two blades, sending one at both Reyes and Lucien. Both sailed cleanly over their left shoulders and hit the wall instead.

"Have no doubt, if you ever plan something like that again, I will kill you." Maddox told them.

"You should be glad we failed to find her. I am. The Hunters played us like violins, drawing us to a specific location and greeting us with bombs." Lucien told him, looking calm but ready to crack.

Maddox stiffened, looking over the warriors again before his eyes shifted up the stairs. There was no sign of anyone coming down stairs.

"Isolde?" Maddox questioned, sharply.

"Who's Isolde?" Strider asked.

Maddox ignored him as he focused on Lucien.

"By the gods, tell me you didn't take her with you." Maddox snapped.

"No. I locked her in her room and barricaded the door with timber and nails. She is probably still there and fuming. She will have my hands for it, surely." Lucien answered him.

Maddox heaved a relieved sigh. Isolde was safe, even if she was going to be seeking Lucien's hands for what he had done. She hadn't been too happy about being locked in her room the first time around. Being nailed in was really going to piss her off.

"So why is Sabin here? Did he bring the Hunters?" Maddox asked.

"Apparently, the Hunters were already here. Sabin followed them and now wants us to help him find dimOuniak." Reyes said, tossing his boots and focusing on the oozing blisters on his feet.

"Sorry to spring our old friends on you. But it's amazing what decisions you'll make when your brains are splattered over a nightclub dance floor." Paris said, popping the bone of his broken arm back into place.

"By the time we gained our bearings, the Hunters were gone. They had not left a trail and we didn't know if they would be lying in wait at Sabin's hotel. Here, at least, we knew we'd all be safe, since Torin has us under surveillance." Lucien said, leaning his palms on the wall.

"They knew what they were doing, and had obviously been preparing for a long, long time. What I want to know is why they didn't stick around to chop off our heads while we were incapacitated." Reyes said.

"They're planning something else. Have to be." Paris remarked.

All eyes went to Sabin who shrugged.

"They're out for blood. Expect anything."

"We should gear up and find them before they try anything else." Reyes suggested.

"I remember a time when you would rather have split with your friends than attack Hunters." Sabin remarked.

"No. We split with friends who wanted to destroy the entire city and everyone in it. We split with friends who attacked one of our own." Lucien replied.

"Where is Torin?" Maddox asked suddenly.

Lucien froze in a deadly stillness.

"He hasn't returned from the cemetery?" Lucien asked.

"I don't think so. I did not hear him come in, but I was...occupied."

Sabin pulled out his walkie-talkie and tried to get Kane to answer, but there was no reply from the other end. Lucien ran a hand over his jaw.

"We have to find Torin before someone else does. Gather bandages, Maddox, and meet us upstairs. I want to be out the door in ten minutes. Let Isolde out and ask her if she knows. Don't take no for an answer. Not on this." Lucien ordered.

A gasp had Maddox whipping around to find Ashlyn standing at the top of the stairs, wearing one of his shirts and his sweatpants. He joined her instantly, dragging her behind him.

"I guess I don't have to ask who the human belongs to." Sabin said.

"What happened to them? They're so bloody. And who are the new guys?" Ashlyn asked.

"A bombing. The men are...like us." Maddox replied.

"Five minutes and a knife. That's all I need." Aeron shouted then, jerking at the cuffs.

Reyes knocked him out with three solid punches to the face. Maddox kept Ashlyn behind him as the others limped upstairs. When they were gone, Maddox turned to Ashlyn, asking her to return to his room. Determined, Ashlyn insisted on helping the others. Maddox only shook his head.

"I don't want you near them." he told her.

"If I'm going to stay here, I have the right to get to know your friends." she argued.

"Not all of those men are my friends. Those who are, you can get to know another day. Right now, you need rest."

"Not I don't. I refuse to lounge in bed all day when I can be productive." she insisted.

"Rest is productive."

"No, it's not."

"I do not know some of those men, Ashlyn. Not anymore. If one of them were to try to hurt you..."

"I want to help. I've never been part of a family before. All I've ever done is stand off to the side and listen, and all I've ever wanted to do is be a part of something. Let me help your family, Maddox." she pleaded.

Maddox couldn't help giving in, his chest feeling tight.

"Go to my room and gather all the towels you can carry. Do you know how to find the entertainment room?" he asked.

She shook her head. He gave her directions, after which she gave him a kiss that ran hotter than he should have allowed. With some pressing calls from his friends, Maddox sent her on her way and went to join them. After a long while of her not showing up, Maddox went in search of her and came across first Isolde's room. The door was hanging on one hinge, the timber boards that had been blocking the door, laying scattered on the floor, along with the nails. The room beyond was empty, no sign of Isolde. Maddox hurried to Torin's room then.

He would check the security footage himself if he had to, to find out what had happened to the girl. If she had done the damage herself, or if someone else had. What he found was Torin laying on the floor, a deep gash in his neck spilling blood on the floor. Someone had either tried to take the man's head and failed or had hurt him in an attempt to slow him. Either way, Torin was still alive and no doubt in a lot of pain.

Maddox thought quickly, rushing to Torin's closet to pull on a fresh pair of his gloves and to wrap a T-shirt around his exposed neck, before picking up Torin and carrying him to his bed where he pressed a T-shirt to his bleeding neck. The whole time, he yelled for his friends.

Torin opened his eyes, just a crack, looking up with eyes so filled with pain, Violence puffed up with the need to rake its claws in flesh.

"Hunters. On hill. Coming here. Fight. Want box. Touched me. Took Kane." Torin managed to get out before passing out.

Maddox cursed darkly. Torin was hurt, Kane was taken by Hunters, Isolde was missing with her door torn nearly from its hinges, and he couldn't find Ashlyn. He ran from Torin's room, searching frantically for Ashlyn, not finding her in his room, or in Lucien's room where the other women were missing as well. There was a rappel wire hooked to the rail on the balcony of Lucien's room. The Hunters had taken Ashlyn, possibly Isolde too. Hunters who had touched Torin.

Angered and sick to his stomach, Maddox flew back to the entertainment room.

"Towels?" Lucien asked when he saw him.

Maddox quickly told them about Torin, the women, saving the part that was going to hit his friends the hardest for last.

"Isolde's missing too. Her door was hanging from one hinge and the boards were ripped free. If the Hunters got a hold of her too..." Maddox cut off as the knowledge caused Lucien, Reyes, and Paris to go paler then before.

"Alright, who is this Isolde you've been talking about? And why would her capture be any more important than Kane's or that of Maddox's woman?" Strider asked.

"Isolde is a young woman we've taken in. She appeared out of nowhere, fell through our roof and every single floor of the fortress with no explanation on how. She knows things." Reyes said.

"Knows things?" Sabin asked.

"Isolde knows everything about the past, present, and the future. She has yet to be wrong in a single one of her predictions for the future. They knowledge she has..."

Lucien didn't want to finish that thought.

"She wouldn't tell them, though. Baby girl wouldn't even tell us under death threat when she first arrived. She won't answer them, even if they hurt her." Paris said instantly.

"No, I doubt she will. Isolde is too stubborn to bow to the will of others." Lucien agreed.

"And she sure as hell knock the fuck out of someone. She can take care of herself." Paris added, rubbing his nose.

Reyes joined Paris, rubbing his own face as he remembered letting Isolde beat on him. The girl could handle herself, no matter if Lucien wanted to baby her or not. Paris turned to Maddox then.

"Did they breach our walls?" he asked.

"Yes." Maddox answer before rounding on Sabin. "Did you help them?"

Sabin held up his hands, the picture of innocence.

"I was being blown to bits, too, remember? And my goal has always been their destruction."

"What of Danika?" Reyes asked.

"Gone."

"Torin needs medical attention. How are we going to manage that?" Paris asked.

"He'll have to heal on his own. Gods, there's going to be a plague. We can't stop it now." Lucien said.

"I don't care if there's a plague or not. My woman and Isolde both are out there. I'll do whatever is necessary to save them." Maddox said, fisting his hands.

"Kane was in that cemetery with Torin. He might have followed him back. Did you see him?" Strider asked.

"Torin said there was a battle on the hill. Kane was taken."

"Fuck." Sabin snarled, punching the wall.

"I'll go into town with you." Reyes promised him.

"I'll search the rest of the fortress. I'll make sure they aren't still here, hiding. Perhaps we will be spared and Isolde is still somewhere in the fortress. Gods help anyone who has taken her in the state her temper has been in as of late." Lucien said.

Maddox, Reyes, and Paris knew Lucien was right. If there was one thing the Hunters should fear at this moment, it wasn't the revenge the Lords would get on them. It was the dark, volatile, and savage nature of Isolde's temper when the demons were messing with her. They would need the blessing of the gods to survive it.

Even that wouldn't help them.


	10. Where, Oh Where Has Baby Girl Gone

Author's Note: Sorry, guys, I fell asleep last night before I could post more chapters for you. But I am back and have more chapters for you. Hopefully, I'll finally be able to post all the chapters I already had written before today is over. Keep your fingers crossed! But anyway, as always, please enjoy and review. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or the characters. I would have locked myself up and away from the world with Torin, if I did. That man needs serious love.

Chapter 10 Where, Oh Where Has Baby Girl Gone

No matter where he looked, how long he searched, Maddox couldn't find Ashlyn. Nor could any of them find Isolde for that matter. Video from the fortress had shown Isolde, her rage at being barricaded in her room causing her eyes to shine with fury, bust through her own door, only to run into Hunters as she had stormed down the halls. They had taken the girl, barely able to contain her with four men twice her size.

It had finally taken a needle of some kind of drug to take the girl down and lug her down the halls. But after that there had not been a trace of the girl. Even their demons couldn't pick up on Isolde.

Midnight came and Maddox, away from the fortress, still went through the pain of his death curse. Reyes ended up dragging Maddox back to the fortress and, to his great relief, Maddox awoke the next morning with Ashlyn at his side. But she was sick. She had caught the disease passed from Torin to the Hunters and then to her.

He got water and medicine down her throat and she finally, blessedly, opened her eyes to look at him.

"Home. Hurt. Worse than before." she said hoarsely.

"I know beauty. You're going to get better this time, too." Maddox promised her.

"Boss...Hunter. Dead." she told him.

"What of Danika? And a young woman with zebra print streaks in her hair?" Reyes asked.

"Isolde." Ashlyn replied.

So Ashlyn had met Isolde. They should have known that Isolde wouldn't keep her distance. She never really did as told. Trying to order the girl around was pointless. She did what she wanted, when she wanted and that was all there was to it.

"Yes. Isolde. I followed the hole you came through and found the prison and the dead Hunters, but Danika and Isolde were not inside." Reyes said.

"Danika might be...on her way to...New York. Never saw...Isolde after they...separated us. She was so...angry. Fought...like a demon." Ashlyn replied.

Reyes paled. Isolde was still missing, they had found no trace of her. But from the sounds of it, Isolde was taking it laying down.

"They told you nothing else?" Reyes asked.

"I'm sorry."

"Go. Find her. Find them both." Maddox told Reyes.

Reyes left without another word. Maddox sat with Ashlyn for hours, tending to her, but in the end he took her to a human hospital, praying that they could take care of her. It was all he could do. Reyes on the other hand, spent the whole day searching the whole city for Danika, and would have hopped a plane to New York if it wasn't for Maddox's death curse.

He became so frustrated he screamed his frustrations to the sky and actually got an answer in reply to search the hill. Though weary of the help, Reyes did as instructed and found both Kane and Danika, laying on the ground moaning.

Reyes had Danika in his arms instantly and only nudged Kane with the toe of one boot. Kane came too, grabbing a gun that Reyes only kicked away.

"Go ahead and kill each other." Danika said bitterly.

"How are you hurt?" Reyes asked instead of acknowledging the comment.

"Rocks fell. From a mountain, I guess. He pushed me out of the way to avoid the worst of it and I tripped, hit my head." she told him.

Reyes thanked Kane, the other man rubbing one temple as he got to his feet. Even thought the rocks were probably the work of Kane's demon, Kane had still protected Danika. For that Reyes was grateful.

"Where's your family?" Reyes asked Danika.

"Flying somewhere you'll never think to find them. Now put me down." she retorted.

"No. You're too weak to walk." Reyes replied, turning his eyes to Kane and switching from English to Hungarian.

"How did you save her? And do not answer in English." Reyes said.

"Hunters were on their way to the fortress when Torin and I ran into them. We fought, but there were so many...He was cut and I was taken. They made the mistake of putting her in the same van they'd stashed me in. The tires blew and the vehicle flew off the road." Kane replied.

"And Isolde?" Reyes asked.

"Who?"

"A young woman with zebra streaks in her hair. She was taken from the fortress too."

"I saw her in town once, but I didn't see her with the Hunters."

Reyes swore under his breath. Where the hell was Isolde and what was keeping her from coming home? She was stronger than those human Hunters. She fought with a determination that scared the hell out of Reyes himself. If she really wanted to come home, she would find a way.

Had she finally just ditched them?

It wasn't a thought Reyes wanted to think about. Isolde was like his little sister, he cared about her. Even if she did have a mean left hook she liked to use on him.

"And the Hunters are now...?"

"Dead."

Reyes nodded and turned back to Danika, returning to English.

"Why did you come back?" he asked her.

"He made me. Is Ashlyn okay? I heard them talking about hurting her to draw you guys out so they could find some stupid box. And Isolde! I heard her name just now. They had her, hurt her. Is she alright?" Danika asked.

"Ashlyn has been found. She's very sick. We can't find Isolde. How do you know her?" Reyes asked.

"She came to see us when you had us locked away. She was nice, made us feel safe. Will Ashlyn..."

"Only time will tell. You said they had Isolde. Tell me." Reyes demanded.

"She fought when I saw her. Fought like a devil. I've never seen a woman take down men like that. And with such a fierce look on her face too. Like she was hell bound to not be taken prisoner. But one of them hit her pretty hard with a pipe. They hurt her pretty badly to get her to calm down and then dragged her away. It was the last I saw of her." Danika told him.

Reyes grit his teeth. They had hurt Isolde. They would pay. When he told Lucien and the others, they would want to hurt the Hunters even more. If there were any alive. Reyes still didn't want to give up on the idea that Isolde would rip those humans limb from limb.

"Death waits in town, Danika. You will stay at the fortress until the Hunters are destroyed and the sickness passes." Reyes told her.

"No. I won't. I want to go home now." she told him fighting to get out of his arms.

"Moving like that simply presses your body against mine."

Danika fell deathly still. Reyes started up the hill again. Kane took a different route, cutting down the hazards in Reyes' way.

"Am I to be your prisoner again?" Danika asked.

"Guest, as long as you stay put. We've had to lock Aeron in the dungeon. You are not to go down there. Ever. Understand? He will kill you without blinking." he told her.

"Yet another reason I want to go home. Things like this don't happen there." she replied.

"Where is home?

"Like I'm going to tell you. Kidnapper."

Reyes simply let the kidnapper part slip past. He had to focus on getting her back. Then he needed to tell the others what she had told him about Isolde. The girl was still somewhere out there, hurt. Maybe even dead. They had to find her.

Somehow.

Someway.

-0-0-0-0-

Lucien, Paris, Reyes, and Maddox were about to go insane looking for Isolde. Finding her would have been easier if they had Torin to help, but the man was still resting, still healing. Two days after dropping Ashlyn off at the hospital, the men searched and found no sign of the girl. Then, late on the second day, the front swung open, the wood smacking and bouncing off the stone wall. Several warriors flew down the stairs, into the foyer, ready to fight, only to find a bloody, battered, and worn out Isolde, sliding down the wall just inside the door with a sigh.

"Baby girl! Lucien! Isolde's here!" Paris yelled, rushing to Isolde, Reyes at his side.

Maddox and Lucien flew down the stairs, past the others to join them.

The girl was a mess. Her hair was plastered to her head in spots with dried and wet blood, other spots were a tangled mess around her head. One part of her face was covered in blood, forcing her to keep her left eye closed. One arm hung limply from its socket, clearly dislocated. The knuckles of both hands were caked in dried blood, bruises coloring them as well as various parts of her body along with gashes.

Her bare feet were torn to ribbons, her jean shorts and tank top ripped in the same manner. There was a gunshot wound to her left side, a stab wound to her right thigh, and bloody rings around both wrist. She had been cuffed at once point and had fought like hell against them.

One good eye fixed on the men as they knelled before her.

"Baby girl, what happened?" Paris asked.

Isolde's eye flew past them to the new arrivals gathered on the stairs. She wasn't shocked to see them. Then again she was rarely shocked.

"I see you finally ran into them. Enjoy the bomb?" Isolde retorted dryly, her voice hoarse and cracking.

"You knew." Lucien stated.

"Of course I knew. And I would have been right there with you, instead of here, if you haven't **boarded me into my room**. As soon as I can feel and use my hands again, you and I are going to have a very long chat, Lucien." Isolde told him, fixing him with one two-toned eye.

Lucien, just happy to have her home and alive, would gladly accept any punishment she saw fit to dish out to him. Well...maybe not gladly.

"You do not need your hands to speak with me." Lucien told her.

"I do when I want to claw you to ribbons." Isolde retorted sourly.

Lucien knew her mood would improve when she was cleaned up and not in so much pain, so he didn't hold her words against her. Though rather she would actually do the clawing or not, he still debated.

"What happened? Where have you been?" Maddox demanded.

"Not all of the Hunters got sick. They were still alive. They finally figured out that it was me who has been killing off their members for the last two weeks. Wanted revenge. Revenge is just dandy...when I'm the one dishing it out. It sucks being on the receiving end." Isolde told them.

"Were?" Reyes asked.

A grin curved Isolde's mouth and she raised one hand barely curling the fingers to make a gun before saying, "Pow". They got the picture. Isolde had killed every last one of them.

"Of course they did a number on me first." she remarked, looking down at herself.

"And you returned the favor." Paris said without a single bit of doubt in his tone.

"You bet your ass, I did! You take a swing at me and you're taking the chance that I'll beat the shit out of you in reply. Doesn't matter if you actually land a hit. And after the pipe to the head and the needle in the neck...those bastards deserved to eat my bullets!" she replied.

Isolde winced as pain shot through her arms and chest. She wrapped her arms around her chest and cursed under her brother.

"Damn, that smarts." she muttered.

Before any of them could say a word, Strider stepped forward, finally recognizing the bloody mess of a woman for the female who had taken his guns.

"Hey. You were the one that took my guns." he said.

"Yeah, that was me. Sorry but if you want those back, you'll have to go digging among a mess of dead Hunters. Nice guns though." Isolde replied.

"You actually took them." Strider added.

Isolde gave a shrug of her good shoulder and winced, one arm snaking around her ribs which gave a soft crunch that had the men wincing too.

"As I've learned from Maddox, if you want to keep your weapons, don't let go of them so easily." Isolde told Strider.

"Alright, that is enough." Lucien said, cutting off any reply Strider had.

Lucien scoped Isolde up in his arms.

"Let's get you cleaned up. Obviously you won't be cooking for a while." Lucien said, carrying her past the others and up the stairs, Isolde snorting.

"Admit it, that's the only reason you keep me around." she remarked.

"I'm sure we could come up with a few other reasons as to why." Lucien told her.

"You're not denying it."

Lucien shook his head before vanishing from sight with the girl. When he was sure they were gone from earshot, Sabin turned to the others.

"Do your demons do the same things ours do when she's around?" he asked.

"Huh? You mean act strangely? Yeah they do. You get used to it. It's the effect they have on her that's the part you have to watch out for." Paris told them.

"What do you mean?" Cameo asked.

"Isolde can hear the demons as they speak in our minds. She always knows when they are near or when they are worked up. The demons can turn that link on her, use her as an outlet for their desires." Maddox explained.

"She's broken a few of our bones in fits of violence, pain, and wrath. They are the ones that get to her the most. She keeps Death and Disease out and she refuses to tell us what happens when my demon gets to her." Paris added.

The others blanched at the idea. The idea of a second Disaster or a second Misery, wasn't appealing to them.

"She won't tell you when it happens though. You have to be able to read her and watch her eyes to figure it out. The blue edge to her eyes will vanish and they will turn red when she is about to lose control. Usually she stays in her room or works off her frustration on the punching bag." Reyes told them.

"And then we have to replace the punching bag because she works it over until she splits the bag." Maddox retorted.

"It's better than having her break my nose again." Paris retorted.

"Your's isn't the only one she's broken. She nearly strangled Maddox the other day when he lost it and pinned her and almost took off one of fingers too." Reyes told him.

"So she's got bite." Strider said.

"She bites alright. She took a chunk out of Lucien's arm once and she likes him the most." Maddox retorted.

"No, she likes me best because I'm not always telling her what to do." Paris replied, heading up the stairs.

"You're also the one that takes any chance to undress her." Maddox snapped back.

"Only for medical purposes." Paris shot back, smile on his face before he vanished as well.

"Where did this girl come from?" Sabin asked, not exactly sure how he felt about her presence.

"She fell from the sky. Literally. Went right through the roof and every floor until she landed here in the foyer. We do not know where she comes from and she does not know how she came to be here. She's been here since." Maddox replied.

The look on Sabin's face was doubtful as he thought that over.

"Talk to her, yourself if you don't believe it." Reyes told him.

Sabin would do that, and he would have Lies and Secrets with him.

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde looked up with her one good eye when her door opened again. Lucien had just finished helping her to bandage her injuries leaving her with half her face, her whole chest, her hands, and various other parts of her body, wrapped in bandages. She was reclining in her pillows, shirtless since the bandages covered nearly every inch of her from her collar bones to her waist, when Sabin, followed by Amun and Gideon, entered the room. Strider, Cameo, and Kane remained at the door.

To them, she looked better. She had managed to clean her hair, which now fell around her in a damp, silky, curtain, and the blood had been cleaned from her skin. One good eye watched them, the blue edge telling them that she was perfectly in control, perfectly calm with the presence of the new demons. Lucien looked up at him from where he sat on the edge of her bed.

"What is it?" he asked.

Isolde laid a hand on his arm, making him look at her. She kept her eye on the others.

"Don't worry about it, Lucien. I know what they want." she told him.

Lucien looked between them before getting up. He bent over, giving her a kiss on the crown of the head and moved away from the bed to a chair at the table place off to the side of her room.

"Something on your mind?" Isolde asked Sabin.

"A lot. Who are you?" Sabin asked.

"Isolde Amorette Lord."

That wasn't exactly what he had meant and he had a feeling, she knew that.

"That's not what I meant."

"I know, but I can't really tell you anything else. I'm not a Hunter, have no connection to them or anyone else who could mean you or anyone here harm, if that's what you're asking." Isolde replied.

Sabin looked at Gideon.

"I'm not lying, so you don't need to look to Lies. I won't lie when you have the keepers of both Lies and Secrets here." Isolde told him, making Sabin look at her.

"How did you-"

"Let's get this out of the way now, since I'm not really fond of repeating myself and you'll figure this out pretty soon. When it comes to you, the Hunters, the Titans, pretty much everyone you'll come in contact with...I know everything. Past, present, and future. Pretty much the only thing I don't know is my own future and believe me...that sucks." Isolde said, cutting Sabin off.

"How do you know?" Sabin asked.

"Next question."

Sabin popped his jaw. Isolde seemed to be a girl who was used to being stubborn and denying others answered. One look at Lucien told him that he was right. Sabin glanced at Amun, but the man's brow was furrowed as he looked at Isolde.

"I already said I won't lie. No point in it. And Amun's not going to find anything either. I build mental blocks against the demons all the time. Some stronger than others depending on the demon. Death, Disease, Secrets...there's no way I'm letting those in my head. Especially not Secrets. No offense, Amun, I know you can't control it, but my secrets are my own. He won't find anything if I don't want him too." Isolde said, drawing Sabin's attention to her.

"Why won't you answer?" he asked.

"No point. Just like I won't tell you about your future." she replied.

"Why not?"

"Everything that happens, every struggle, every fight, everything **has** to happen. I can't change the course of the future. It could cause disaster far greater than anything Kane could bring about. I can give hints now and then, but I can't tell you. And believe me, knowing isn't exactly a trip for me."

Isolde tilted her head to the side, wincing slightly as a sharp pain shot up through her neck, but she didn't mind it.

"Now I might be able to answer a few questions, depending on what you ask. But anything definite and I'll have to deny you. That's the rules and I have to play by them." Isolde added.

"Who made the rules?"

"Can't answer."

"Are you on our side?"

"Without a doubt."

"Where do you come from?"

"I was born in Ireland, raised between Greece and Australia, but I was in the States before I ended up here."

A glance at Gideon and Sabin knew all the answers so far had been truthful.

"Are you human?" he asked.

"Use to be. Now, I'm not so sure. No human should be able to heal as fast as I do now. Nor should they have the abilities I'm starting to realize I have. So that's a bit of a grey area for me."

Sabin cocked an eyebrow at that. It wasn't a lie. Gideon wasn't picking up on any lies.

"Abilities? Like what?" he asked.

"I can call shadows to me, to hide me. It's how I hid from them when they chased me after I took Strider's guns." Isolde said, gesturing vaguely towards Strider. "They ran straight past me. Gideon almost elbowed me right in the face."

Another truth.

"Exactly why did you take my guns?" Strider asked.

"I just wanted to mess with the lot of you. A tiny form of pay back for Sabin making Maddox think he was a god when he was upset over possibly losing Ashlyn."

Sabin shot a look at Lucien, who was smiling as he looked at his feet. Apparently this was normal behavior for Isolde and brought great amusement to Lucien when it wasn't being directed at him.

"I have one more question." Sabin said, turning his eyes back to her.

"Shoot."

"Do you know where Pandora's Box is?"

Silence met him as Isolde stared at him, debating clear in the one eye they could see. Lucien sat forward when only silence met the question.

"Isolde?" he asked.

"To say no would be to lie. To say yes would earn me eternal damnation in your eyes when I then have to refuse to tell you where it is." Isolde replied.

Sabin took a step forward, stopping when Lucien tensed. Isolde was completely at ease, not worried in the least bit.

"You know where the box is." Sabin stated.

"I do."

"But you won't tell us."

"I can't. Believe me if I believed that telling you now would benefit you, I would. But you **have** to go through the events leading up to finding it. If I thought it would be of harm to you, not to tell you, I would tell you. But that's not the case. A lot has to happen before Cameo finds the box."

All eyes turned to Cameo as shock fell on her lovely features.

"I find the box?" she asked.

Isolde nodded once, winced and refused to move her head too much after that.

"Sorry but that's all the hints I can give for now."

All of it was the honest truth, no beating around the bush. Sabin wasn't happy with it, but at least he knew that in the end, they would find the box. And from what she suggested, Isolde would give them more hints along the way. Now he understood why Lucien and the others had been panicked by the idea of this girl falling into enemy hands. She was a value to have.

"If you don't mind, could you save the rest of your questions for later? I haven't slept since I was taken from here and could use it now." Isolde said. "And, no offense, but the shouting of your demons is giving me a bigger headache then I already have."

Sabin had tuned out the yelling of his demon but she was right, his demon, at least, was shouting, trying to project doubts into the girl's mind and failing to do so. That confused Sabin. Doubt had never failed to make anyone doubt themselves or something.

"Just one more question." he told her.

Isolde raised the one visible eyebrow he could see and waited to hear what the question was.

"How is my demon not causing you to doubt?" he asked.

She didn't smile, didn't frown. Her expression went carefully blank as she looked at him.

"When you have lived the life I did before coming here, you hear every insult in the book, go through every kind of torture imaginable, and have every doubt possible. He's not projecting anything I haven't already gone through, haven't already told myself, so it's easy enough to ignore. At least for me it is. Not to mention all the other demon voices in my head, kind of drown him out." she replied.

That opened up more questions but the girl sank down in her pillows then, releasing a very tired yawn behind one hand. Now that he looked at her, Sabin could tell the girl needed sleep. There were horrible dark circles under her eyes. Or at least the eye he could see. He would ask more questions later and with a nod to Lucien, the others filed out. Lucien nodded back, moving to Isolde's bed side to pull a blanket up over the girl. Sabin got the image of Lucien as a father as the man bent make sure she was tucked in carefully.

Isolde was an interesting girl. She had no problem answering most questions, didn't try to lie or beat around the bush, but she refused to budge once she had put down the law. He could grow to like the girl. Before they could fully leave the room, Isolde's voice sounded again.

"Oh, Cameo?"

Cameo turned to look at the girl as she raised enough to look at her.

"Yes?" Cameo asked.

"You have a lovely voice. Don't let these numb-skulls tell you any differently. Give them a good smack if they do." Isolde told her.

With that, she laid back. Cameo managed a small smile, hearing that. Isolde had seemed perfectly honest when she had said that. Strider muttered something about screwed up ears under his breath and Cameo elbowed him hard in the stomach. If nothing else, Isolde had found a friend in Cameo.

-0-0-0-0-

A few days later, Maddox brought Ashlyn home from the hospital. He had insisted on carrying her the whole way and would have carried her straight to his room if she hadn't insisted on seeing that Isolde was fine. She had told him what she had seen happen to the other female, which had angered Maddox because Isolde had been hurt and Ashlyn had been forced to watch. Ashlyn wanted to see with her own eyes that Isolde was alright, so he took her to Isolde's room.

Isolde was laying back in a pile of pillows. Even though a few days had passed, her injuries had been bad enough that half of her face was still wrapped in bandages along with her chest, hands, and feet. She was wearing a shirt she had snatched from Reyes, her body aching too much to bother with her own clothes. Ashlyn gasped when Maddox sat her beside the bed, which had Isolde's only visible eye opening to look up at her.

"Ashlyn, you're back. I'm glad to see you healthy again." Isolde said, giving Ashlyn a smile.

Ashlyn dropped, carefully, onto the bed beside Isolde reaching out to sweep Isolde's hair away from the bandaged half of her face. Maddox left the two alone and went to get something for Isolde to eat. She would need it to continue to heal.

"Your eye, it's not..." Ashlyn couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

Isolde had protected Ashlyn when the Hunters had them together and had tried to hurt Ashlyn for answers. They had hurt Isolde instead.

"No, it'll be fine. I heal faster than the average human. And besides...I got them worse than they got me." Isolde promised her.

"Still. It has to hurt. I'm so sorry. You were protecting me and Danika and her family." Ashlyn said.

"Its fine, Ashlyn. There's more important things we need to talk about."

Ashlyn gave her a questioning look.

"You're not going to tell Maddox about Anya." Isolde stated.

Ashlyn's eyes widened in surprise and looked around to make sure Maddox wasn't back and hadn't heard.

"How do you know that?" she asked.

"I told you I wasn't human Ashlyn. I know the past, the present, and the future of everyone around me. I know that Anya visited you and told you how to free Maddox. I had told him a month ago that he would be freed, but he obviously hasn't paid me much attention." Isolde told her.

Ashlyn's eyes snapped back to her.

"It'll work?"

Isolde nodded.

"You're a brave woman, Ashlyn. Braver then me. I couldn't sacrifice like that. I don't have the heart to do it." Isolde told her. "You've been very good to and for Maddox. More so then you'll ever know."

Ashlyn swallowed hard taking hold, gently, of one of Isolde's swollen and bandaged hands.

"You know the future, Isolde, tell me...will he be alright?" Ashlyn asked.

"He'll be the happiest man alive."

Ashlyn nodded and Isolde gave her hand as much of a squeeze as she could manage.

"You'll be fine Ashlyn. You'll be strong, and courageous. Gods bless you, Ashlyn. When you talk to Reyes and Lucien, remind them that I warned them. And tell them I said either do it or I'll chain them to Maddox's bed and do it to them."

Ashlyn gave her a small smile. Maddox returned then with a bowl of fruit and a bottle of ice water for Isolde.

"Thank you, Maddox." Isolde told her.

Maddox nodded and turned to Ashlyn, asking if she was ready to go. Ashlyn met Isolde's eye, Isolde giving her a smile and supportive squeeze of the hand.

"Yeah. Rest up, Isolde." Ashlyn said.

Isolde nodded. Ashlyn got to her feet and Maddox scooped her up. At the door, Isolde stopped Maddox.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Ashlyn." Isolde called out.

Ashlyn looked over Maddox's shoulder as Isolde relaxed back in her pillows, closing her eye once more. She didn't know what the younger female meant, knowing that tonight would be her last night, but she was thankful Isolde didn't say a word.

Later, after Maddox was asleep, Ashlyn went in search of Reyes and Lucien and found them and a few others working out.

"Ahem."

All eyes turned to her when she made herself known.

"I need to talk to you." she told Reyes and Lucien.

"If you're going to try to talk us out of killing Maddox tonight, save your breath." Reyes told her, turning back to his punching bag.

"I'll listen to you, sweet." Paris pipped in.

"Quiet. If Maddox heard you, he'd go for your head." Lucien told him.

"Want me to kiss them for you?" Gideon asked.

"You shut up too, Gideon. And don't cozy up to her. She's taken. I'll have to hurt you. Better yet, I'll get Isolde after you." Reyes growled.

"I'd hate to see you try." Gideon replied, grinning at him.

Ashlyn pushed the strange conversation out of her head and turned back to Lucien and Reyes.

"You're right, I don't want you to kill Maddox tonight. I want you to...kill me instead." Ashlyn replied.

All eyes snapped to her again, everything grinding to a halt in the room.

"What did you just say?" Reyes gasped out.

"Curses are broken through sacrifice. Preferably self-sacrifice. If I sacrifice myself, dying in place of Maddox, his curse will be broken." she replied.

"How can you be sure? What if it doesn't work? What if Maddox's death-curse isn't broken and you've died for nothing?" he asked.

"At least I will have tried. But, uh, I kind of have it on the highest authority that this will work."

"The gods?"

Ashlyn nodded.

"That...and Isolde told me to remind you that she warned you about this. She said to tell you, to do what I ask or she would chain you to Maddox's bed and do to you what you do to him." Ashlyn added.

Lucien and Reyes both went pale. Isolde was never wrong and they knew for a fact that she would do as she threatened.

"You would do that? For Violence?" Paris asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Ashlyn replied.

"I stab him that means I would have to stab you. Six times. In the stomach." Reyes told her.

"I know. I see it in my mind every day, and I relive it every night."

"Let's say you do break his curse, not that I am doubting Isolde, you will have condemned him to a life without you." Lucien said.

"I'd rather he live without me than die repeatedly with me at his side. He suffers so much and I just can't allow it. And Isolde said that he would be the happiest man in the world in the future. I believe her." Ashlyn replied.

"Self-sacrifice. Sound ridiculous to me." Reyes said with a snort.

"Look at the world's most beloved fairy tales. Selfish queens always die and the good princesses always win."

"Like you said, fairy tales." Reyes replied.

"Aren't all fairy tales based in fact? You yourself are supposed to be nothing more than a myth. Pandora's Box is a story parents read to their children at night. That means life itself is a fairy tale. Like the characters, we all live and love and search for a happily-ever-after. Besides, as you said...Isolde is never wrong." Ashlyn countered.

Lucien thought about this. Isolde always knew what she was talking about.

"Alright. We'll do it." Lucien agreed.

"Lucien!" Reyes scoffed.

"This will free us, too, Reyes. We'll be able to leave the fortress for more than a single day. We could travel if we wished. We could leave-and stay gone-when we craved solitude. Isolde, herself, said that Maddox would have to lose what he loves the most, to be free. In the movies Paris forced us to watch, good always overcomes evil with an extreme act of self-sacrifice." Lucien said.

"Human movies mean nothing. If we do this, we could be cursed even more. Punishment for defying the gods' will." Reyes argued.

"For Maddox, for freedom, why not risk it?"

"Maddox will not like it. I think...I think he would rather have the human."

"Sometimes what we want isn't what we need." Lucien replied.

"Alright." Reyes agreed.

"Tonight. It has to be tonight. Just give me as much time as possible with him, okay?" Ashlyn asked.

Reyes and Lucien nodded grimly in agreement.

-0-0-0-0-

Midnight came swiftly and Ashlyn knew her time was done.

"What's wrong, love? Tell me and I will make it better." Maddox said.

"It's almost midnight." she replied.

"I will be fine."

"I know."

"Hardly hurts, I swear."

"Liar."

"I want you to stay in another bedroom tonight."

"I'm going to stay with you." Ashlyn argued.

Maddox could hear the determination in Ashlyn's voice and knew she could be just as stubborn as Isolde if she wanted to be. And Isolde never budged on anything if she didn't want to.

"Alright. We will-"

The door opened then to allow Reyes and Lucien entry to the room. Maddox gave Ashlyn another kiss, promising her they would finish the conversation tomorrow, before he laid down on the bed. Reyes shackled his wrist, Lucien his ankles.

"At least turn away when they begin." Maddox told Ashlyn who crouched beside him.

"You know I love you."

"Yes. And you know I will love you forever and afterward." he replied.

"Listen, Maddox...don't blame anyone but me for this, okay. You've suffered enough, too much, and as the woman who loves you, it's up to me to save you. Know that I do it willingly, because you mean more to me than my own life." Ashlyn told him, feeding him another kiss before she stood. "I'm ready."

Confusion fell on Maddox's expression as she turned to Lucien and Reyes.

"Ready for what? What would I blame you for?" Maddox asked.

No one answered him as Reyes drew his sword. Maddox felt dread weight his stomach down like a brick.

"What's going on? Tell me. Now." he demanded.

Reyes approached Ashlyn, no one saying a word to Maddox as he strained against his chains and begged Ashlyn to leave the room.

"I'm ready. Should we go to another room?" Ashlyn asked.

"No. You said you wanted the ultimate sacrifice, remember? He has to watch and understand what you're doing for him." Lucien told her, the three ignoring Maddox's snarls.

Ashlyn turned tear filled eyes on Maddox, telling him once again that she loved him. Maddox understood then what was happening, recalled Isolde's words about sacrifice and his freedom. He cried, shouted, cursed, and fighting to get to the woman he loved. Even curse Isolde for yet another warning she had given him that he had not understood until it was too late.

"No. Do not do this. Please, do not do this. I need you, Ashlyn. Reyes, Lucien. Please. Please!" Maddox rambled.

Reyes faltered for one a moment before he delivered the first blow. Maddox screamed, struggling to reach Ashlyn. Ashlyn heard Isolde's words in her head again.

" _You're a brave woman, Ashlyn. Braver then me. I couldn't sacrifice like that. I don't have the heart to do it. You'll be fine Ashlyn. You'll be strong, and courageous._ "

She pressed her lips together and refuse to utter a single sound. She would prove Isolde right. With each new stab, Maddox felt the curse weaken, but he didn't care. He would keep the curse if it meant keeping Ashlyn and once again he cursed Isolde, as if she was the one responsible for all of this.

No matter how much he screamed, how he pleaded, Ashlyn was not spared and he was not allowed free until the last blow had been delivered and Ashlyn lay lifeless on the floor. Lucien released him then and he flew to Ashlyn's side, gathering her in his arms, but she was gone. He pleaded with the heavens to give her back, promised anything if he could have her back. And someone answered.

All eternity? Now that's commitment.

Maddox heard the female voice in his head and did not hesitate to answer.

"Yes. Yes! Forever. All eternity. I cannot live without her. She is everything to me." Maddox replied.

I like you, cowboy, I really do.

"Do you hear a woman in your head, too?" Lucien asked.

"Yes. Who are you?" Reyes asked.

Your new best friend, sugar.

"Help me, then." Maddox begged.

Silly immortal. For days I've been breaking the rules-which is kinda a hobby of mine-to help you. Not sure I want to keep it up, though. You and your woman are serious time-consumers.

"Please. Help her, and I'll never need another moment of your time. I swear it. Just give her back to me. Please. Please."

You insulted the big dogs last week, Violence, and I really liked that. Made me sit up and take notice, to be honest. Not many people break form the mold anymore, you know? And for a Lord to do it...rockin'! Know why?

"No."

Not that Maddox really cared. He just wanted Ashlyn.

Awesome. Lesson time.

"Ashlyn is-"

Not going anywhere. Now hush it. I need to lay some background so you understand exactly what I'm risking for you.

Maddox zipped his mouth closed. Anything for Ashlyn.

So anyway, the Titans are in control, the bastards, and they totally plan to take the world back to what it was in their heyday. A place of peace, a place of worship, blah, blah, blah, where humans bow and sacrifice to them, and all that shit. In a few days, two temples will suddenly rise from the sea. You just wait. It will be the beginning of the end, for sure. I don't know whether the Titans want you guys dead or not in the big scheme of things, but I do know they plan to use you to get what they want.

"The women. Danika." Reyes said.

Bingo. Something about her bloodline, maybe a prophecy. I'll have to study up 'cause I'm mostly drawing a blank. From what I've heard you got yourself a new little birdie who know a hella lot more than I do. Ask her. But you can see my dilemma, right? By helping you, I'm really going to piss off the new management.

"Do you wish me to kill them for you? I will do it. I will." Maddox said.

"Maddox. Stop. Before you bring a far worse curse upon our house. She's going to help you. She's just pretending she's got to bargain. Right, goddess?" Lucien said.

Oh, a Smartie McSmartpants. You're a sexy one, I'll give you that. No time for that. Unfortunately. Like I was saying before, the little woman really impressed me. I didn't think she'd do it, truth be told. What a show, though, right? If I had bodily functions, I think I would have peed my pants.

"Goddess. Focus. Please."

"Maddox." Lucien warned.

Anya. My name is Anya. And I'm not, technically, a goddess myself, just the daughter of one, so stop lumping me in the same category as those jackoffs.

"What can I do? Tell me! I will do anything" Maddox said.

Your woman gave up her life for yours. Are you willing to do the same? Because you should know, my powers are contingent on others' actions and I can't do anything unless you do. Oh, and there's the little matter of payment.

"Yes. I will sacrifice anything for her. I will give whatever payment you ask." Maddox promised.

Alright, here's the scoop. I've got Titans chasing me down. Don't ask me why. It's a long story. Anyway, they're hunting me like a freaking animal and have been for, like, days. If I ever come to you for help, you're going to give it. Understand?

"Yes. Anything."

Not just you, sweetness. All of you.

There was a pause in which Maddox considered slicing both Lucien's and Reyes' throats before they too agreed.

Okay, then. A deal is struck. Your woman will wake up, and she'll be bound to you. She'll live as long as you do. Not a bad deal for a mortal, really. But if one of you dies, you both die. Got it?

"Yes, yes."

If you try and renege, know that I'll kill you, which will kill her. I'll cut off your heads and feed them to the gods on a silver platter.

"I understand. I accept."

There a heartbeat of silence before a whirlwind kicked up around Maddox, ripping Ashlyn from his arms. He tried reaching for her, but stopped when he realized her blood was flowing back into her body. Everything rewind, like a video tape and Maddox end up back on the bed, chained. As soon as the whirlwind started, it stopped and everyone stared around at each other's, confused as to what had happened.

"What happened? I was dead. I know I was. I can still feel that blade cutting through my-Oh my God, Maddox, what did you do? Did the curse reverse, too?" Ashlyn asked.

"That was...I do not have words. I stabbed her." Reyes said.

"Free me. The chains." Maddox demanded.

Lucien did as asked and Maddox leaped at Ashlyn, pulling her into his arms, kissing her.

"But the death-curse-"

"Is broken. I swear it. I feel its ties no more." Maddox assured her.

Enjoy yourselves, boyz, 'cause now you're free from Maddox's curse, as well. Don't worry though. I'm sure your demons will keep you plenty miserable. Just don't forget our deal. Ta-ta for now.

With that Anya's voice vanished and both Lucien and Reyes were felled to their knees as something in them changed and shifted. They were free and they knew it.

"I do not have to kill Maddox anymore. The pull of his death is gone. Gone!" Reyes said in awe.

"The death-curse truly is broken. As Isolde foretold. Thank you, Ashlyn. Thank you. You are a remarkable human." Lucien said in true gratitude.

"I'd like to say it was my pleasure." she teased.

"You died for me. You died for me." Maddox growled.

"I'd do it again. I love you." she told him.

"Never again, woman. You will never leave me again." Maddox told her, spinning her around.

"Never." she agreed.

"Reyes, Lucien. You will leave." Maddox told them.

The two gladly left. Maddox knew he would have to apologize to Isolde later. Even if she didn't know it, he had cursed her for her warning. He would apologize to her, for now that he thought about it, she had known how it would play out, for she had told Ashlyn, she would see her the next day. And she would. But first, Maddox would hold his woman.

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde looked at the clock on her nightstand and smiled to herself. It was past midnight. She had felt the peeking fury from Violence and then the overwhelming joy. She knew it was done, that Maddox was free and he would have Ashlyn forever. She couldn't help the wide grin on her face, even if it hurt the left side of her face where burns and peeled of skin, marred her face. Isolde relaxed into her pillow, sighing in relief. She had been tensed since she had first felt the spike in Violence's temper, making her broken ribs and torn skin, ache. She was grateful to relax now that it was over.

A knock on her door had her looking up as Lucien and Reyes entered the room.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

Both claimed a seat on the edge of her bed.

"Ashlyn had to die. That was what you meant by sacrifice." Lucien said.

"It was."

"And you knew she was going to live, despite it." Reyes added.

"I did."

"And you couldn't tell us that?" Lucien asked.

Isolde heaved a sigh.

"Paris told me of the conversation you two had with Ashlyn earlier today. You doubted me." she replied.

Lucien and Reyes shared a look, both feeling a little shame for having doubted her for a single moment. Sabin might doubt her, but she had proved to them that she was always right. When they looked at her, they could see the hurt buried deep in her gaze.

"You have our deepest apologies, Isolde." Lucien told her.

"I don't want your apologies, Lucien. None of you, ever, have to apologize to me." Isolde told him.

"Then what do you want?" Reyes asked.

"Your trust."

Both men felt like they had just been stabbed in the heart. Isolde felt like they didn't trust her and that that was why they had doubted her.

"We trust you, Isolde." Lucien told her.

"Then why did you doubt me when I've proven that I know what's going to happen? I already have reason to be angry with you, Lucien. Don't me make feel hurt on top of it. That's something I haven't felt in years and I'm not fond of the feeling."

The memories swimming in her gaze called forth hurt, anger, so much sadness, that both men felt the need to protect her even more then they had ever felt. She had been hurt and she didn't want to feel that way anymore. They couldn't blame her.

"We won't doubt you again, Isolde." Lucien promised.

Isolde met both of their gazes, looking deep. Their demons were passive at the moment, for once not trying to nag of her ear. For all that they did try to slip into her head and use her, they didn't like it when she was hurt. No more than their keepers did. That was good. Isolde was sick and tired of being hurt. Not physically. Physically hurting, she could handle. Mental and emotional hurt was something she didn't like. She hated it. With a passion. Just like she hated fear. They were emotions that hurt, that made her weak.

Isolde wouldn't be weak for any reason.

"You will doubt, because that is normal. I'm not asking for the impossible, Lucien. I just want trust. I just want to know that someone actually trusts me. I'll never be able to trust again if I don't know others trust me as well." Isolde told him.

Lucien leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"We trust you, Isolde. That is not an issue. Things are changing and we are not use to that, but we do trust you." he told her.

He was rewarded with a smile that had to hurt her.

"We will be having a meeting tomorrow. Do you want to join us?" Reyes asked.

Isolde nodded.

"Then I will carry you down. For now rest." Lucien told her.

The two got to their feet but Isolde's still swollen fingers wrapped limply around their wrist, stopping them. The two looked down at her.

"Just promise me one thing." she told them.

"What?" Lucien asked.

"Don't hate me for not telling you things. If I had told you about Ashlyn's sacrifice being key, you would have insisted on doing it sooner when they need to realize their love for each other. I don't tell you for a reason. Please don't hate me for that."

Lucien pat her hand, careful of the knuckles.

"We don't hate you, Isolde. Never could. Now rest." Lucien told her.

With that Isolde released them. The two wished her a goodnight and left her to her rest. Isolde would give them one thing, they really did care. What she had done to deserve it, she didn't know, but she wasn't going to push it away. Now it was simply trying to survive everything else. Life had turned into a real jumble of chaos.

-0-0-0-0-

The next afternoon, Lucien called the meeting and carried Isolde down to the entertainment room where he handed her over to Reyes, who sat her in his lap. Ashlyn perched herself on Maddox's lap. When Ashlyn looked at Isolde, the younger female gave her a crooked half grin and what would have been a wink if Ashlyn could see her other eye. Isolde could tell Ashlyn and Maddox both were so much happier and because of that, Violence was content and left her alone. As soon as Isolde was settled, leaning back against Reyes' chest, Lucien started the meeting.

"I have talked with Sabin and, as you know, I have decided to help him search for the box. It is time the damned thing was found. Isolde can only give us hints as to how to find it, but it is better than nothing. As long as it's out there, the demons are in danger of being sucked inside. Which means we're in danger of dying." Lucien said.

"Damn Hunters." Ashlyn said.

"Damn right." Isolde agreed.

"They're dead, killed by Disease. And Isolde." Reyes pointed out.

Isolde grinned, winced at the pain, but didn't stop grinning.

"You killed some of them. Not all. McIntosh was merely vice president of the Institute. I never actually met the president, not in all the years I worked there. I was told he never goes out in public. I hadn't thought about it before, but now it sounds suspicious to me. Besides that, there are a lot more employees, spread out all over the world. And maybe other Hunters who aren't even affiliated with the Institute." Ashlyn said.

"No maybe to it, Ashlyn. There are thousands, upon thousands of Hunters out there. You'd be surprised how many humans are willing to buy into that Lords-are-responsible-for-all-evil bit. It's a load of bullshit." Isolde remarked.

"We hoped the box was here in Budapest. The interrogation of a Hunter, at least, led us here. But..." Sabin trailed off.

"They have found no sign of it. And they would like our help." Lucien finished for him.

"If Isolde knows where it is, why not just tell us?" Paris asked.

"There are events in the future time line that have to happen for all of your sakes. I can't tell you. I can only give hints." Isolde replied.

"You want me to help search for that box, you're going to have to give me some direction." Reyes said.

"Watch your tone, Pain. You're bringing down morale. Isolde did say that I ultimately do find the box." Cameo remarked.

Isolde was the only one who didn't wince at the sound of the woman's voice, and she even gave Cameo a bright smile.

"How can her voice not affect you?" Paris asked Isolde.

"Live my childhood. That was misery. Compared to that and my mother, her voice is the sweetest sound I've ever heard." Isolde replied, matter-of-factly.

Isolde waved off anything Paris was about to say to that.

"Ashlyn has heard conflicting stories. Will you tell them?" Maddox said.

"One says the box is being guarded by Argus. The other says the box is hidden deep in the sea, guarded by Hydra, but I don't know where." Ashlyn said, the others groaning.

"Any ideas where we should start?" Lucien asked, turning to Isolde.

"One of those stories is half right. That's about all I can say at this moment. Ask me again in a few weeks." Isolde answered.

"Anya mentioned the surfacing of two temples. These temples were probably used by the gods and will not have been contaminated or picked over by humans. The moment they surface, some of us should search them. Perhaps we will find something to lead us to correct path." Maddox said.

A glance at Isolde got him a nod to show that he was correct.

"Excellent. Someone will have to stay here with Aeron and Torin and guard the fortress." Lucien said.

"Ashlyn and I will stay. We'll read tomes and texts." Maddox offered.

"And I'll listen for clues in town." Ashlyn added.

The two went off on their own little conversation then, Isolde rolling her one good eye at them. After a short chat about a black leather, sexy garment, the two left the room, laughing. Isolde ignored it and turned back to look at Lucien.

"I hope you aren't going to suggest I stay behind." she said tartly.

Lucien took one look at her and knew if he suggested it, at all, she would rip him to shreds. Or give him the same look she gave him last night, which would break his heart.

"Only if you're all healed by then." he told her.

"So you aren't going to lock me in my room with **boards and nails**?" she asked, a little snippily.

"Never again." Lucien replied.

"You're learning. Smart man. I just might let you keep your hands." she replied.

"Your anger is one I would gladly avoid." Lucien replied.

"If only others had been as clever as you."

"They would have lived?" Strider asked.

"Oh no...I don't usually make it that easy for people. They just would have had a quicker death."

With that Isolde turned to Reyes.

"Can you take me back to my room now? I have something I need to do." she said.

Reyes picked her up, carrying her from the room.

"Have fun." Isolde called over his shoulder.


	11. Ice Blue

Author's Note: Same drill, people. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or it's characters. I would hug Cameo, no matter how miserable I feel, if I did.

Chapter 11 Ice Blue

The next few weeks passed slowly for Isolde. With her healing capabilities getting faster, she shed the bandages on her hands and feet first, then her face, her ribs being the last thing to heal. When she could finally walk around on her own and wearing her own clothes once again, she almost sang her thanks to the heavens.

She finally took a proper shower, ditching the oversized T-shirts she had been forced to wear and donning her own clothes. Heaving a happy sigh, she left her room, under her own power for once. She found most of the warriors of the fortress in the kitchen.

Her kitchen.

That was her domain. In the time she had been bound to her bed, the kitchen she had gotten into a certain order, was completely disorganized. It made the OCD half of her scream bloody murder. It took every ounce of self-control she had not to scream as well. She really hated it when people messed with something she had sat in a certain position. Even if it was a soda can she had just sat down and someone had only twisted it or moved it an inch, she had to correct it. Else wise she was likely to claw someone for it.

"I spent a month getting this kitchen into a certain order and you've all managed to destroy that."

Everyone looked up, finding Isolde in the kitchen doorway, her eyes scanning the space, her mouth twisting. The girl no longer had a single scratch on her. Didn't even had a single scar to show how injured she had been. The burns and ripped away skin that had marred the left side of her face, were all healed, her beautiful honey-and-cream skin silky smooth once more. Her long hair was damp from a shower and currently pulled over one shoulder.

She had swapped out the T-shirt she had been wearing for a pair of short, black jean shorts and an oversized teal purple shirt that hung off one shoulder to show the black, lacy strap of an undershirt and that almost fell past the hem of her shorts. She had added a pair of striped, thigh high stockings in multiple shades of blues and greens, was without shoes, and currently standing with her hands on her hips.

"Isolde, should you be up and about?" Lucien asked.

"All better. Now does someone want to tell me why my kitchen is a mess?" Isolde retorted, her eyes going from the dishes in the sink to the open bags of chips on the counter alongside the open mayo jars and loaves of bread.

"Your kitchen?" Strider asked.

Paris gave Strider a cut-it gesture to get him to shut up. Strider looked from Paris to Isolde who gave him a cold look before moving to the counter. She started putting things away, wiping down the counters, rearranging the things on the counter, before moving to the dishes and loading the dishwasher. Those at the table watched as she flew about the kitchen straightening everything. She didn't stop until the kitchen was exactly how she had left it the last time she had been able to cook.

"There!" she said with a pleased nod.

"It's just a kitchen." Strider remarked.

"And you're just a prick." she teased back, sticking her tongue out at him.

Strider grinned as she turned to the fridge and opened it. Out of it she pulled a water bottle and a tall can of Peace Tea that Torin ordered especially for her. With those in hand, she kicked the door closed and walked over to Lucien, leaning on his shoulder to look down at the papers spread before.

"The club is finished, right?" she asked.

"Yes. We are going to be celebrating the grand opening tonight." Lucien told her.

Isolde nodded idly before leaning forward to look him in the face.

"You're going." she told him.

"I was not planning on i-"

"You're going." she said firmly.

"Isolde-"

"I'm not going to hear it, Lucien. You're going and that's that." she told him.

Lucien looked up at her and got a bright smile in reply. He heaved a sigh knowing he wouldn't win this argument. He never did.

"Fine." he told her.

"Good boy."

Isolde gave Lucien a kiss on the head and took off for the kitchen door.

"And what exactly is going to happen that I must be there?" Lucien asked.

Isolde smiled over her shoulder.

"Just be prepared for a lot of ice blue. Or very little. Depends on how you look at it." she replied, turning to the door.

Lucien didn't get it, then again he never did when it was Isolde and her vague warnings of future events.

"Catch." Isolde said, tossing the water bottle.

Sabin appeared in the doorway a second later, drenched in sweat, and barely caught the bottle she had tossed to him. He had just been coming to get a water bottle too. Isolde continued past him, humming to herself.

"You're coming too, then, Isolde." Lucien called after her.

"Was planning on it." she called back before vanishing from sight.

"How does she do that?" Sabin asked, holding up the water bottle.

"She's never told us. She just does it." Lucien replied.

"She's pretty hot." Strider remarked.

"Forget about it. Isolde thinks of us all as siblings." Reyes told him.

"And baby girl's too stubborn for you. All you'd see is a challenge you can't win." Paris added with a grin.

Strider flipped him off, causing Paris' grin to grow.

"Actually I'm not interested in men at all."

Everyone turned. Isolde was leaning in the doorway again, the can of Razzleberry Peace Tea open in her hand. She raised an eyebrow at them.

"Are you saying you're into women? I can work with that." Strider remarked.

"I'm asexual." was Isolde's reply.

"Asexual?"

The blank looks she got from both Strider and Paris had her heaving a sigh and shaking her head at the two. Her eyes rolled up to the ceiling as if she was praying for patience.

"I'm not attracted to anyone, no matter the gender." she explained.

"I can change that." Strider offered, getting a punch from Reyes for it.

Not that he cared. Isolde shook her head at him.

"No. You can't."

"Afraid of sex?" he asked, more on a joke then anything.

"And what if I am."

The laughter on his face died, everyone turning eyes on her. Isolde's expression wasn't joking. There wasn't a hint of amusement or joking in her expression and her eyes were ghosted over with a haunted look that suggested she really was afraid of it.

"Maybe you should start thinking before you speak. Wouldn't be funny if it's true, would it?" she asked, giving him a salute with her can before turning and leaving.

Another hint to a bad past.

"She wasn't-"

Strider cut off as he looked at Lucien. His look said it all. They had all had the same question run through their at one time. Just small things Isolde had said or done.

"Isolde never talks about her past. She refuses and avoids it. We get hints, now and then, like we do with the future, but nothing definite enough to guess. All we know is her childhood was not the best and no one in her family cares that she is missing." Lucien replied.

"I believe that is the least vague she had been yet." Reyes added in.

"You can try asking her, but she probably will not answer you." Lucien told him.

They were all curious but after seeing the haunted look on her face, they weren't exactly sure that they wanted to.

-0-0-0-0-

"Isolde, are you ready!?"

Paris' voice echoed up the stairs from where everyone else stood in the foyer. They were ready to go to the nightclub, but Isolde had yet to come down the stairs.

"I'm coming." came Isolde's reply from farther upstairs.

"How long does it take to get ready?" Strider asked.

"She was in the shower when I checked in on her thirty minutes ago." Paris replied.

"Sneak a peek?" Strider teased.

"And have her cut my cock off? Not a chance."

Clicking of heels on the floor made them all turn to look up at Isolde.

"About tim-"

Strider cut off when he caught sight of Isolde on the stairs.

"What? Is there something wrong with it?" she asked, looking down at herself.

For a night at the nightclub Isolde had clothed herself in a short, strapless dress. The affair sat tight, like a second skin, around her chest, pushing her breast up, and flared out to where it ended an inch below the curve of her butt. It cinched under her breast and was metallic blue in color. She had added in black, lacy stockings with a butterfly pattern in the lace and a scalped edge, sling-back, strappy heels the same color as her dress, and fingerless gloves that reached up to her elbow. Her hair was styled in waves around her bare shoulders and she had her eyes lined with silver eyeliner and a light dusting of dark blue eyeshadow.

When no one answered, her hands went to her hips.

"Are you just going to stare at me? If there's something wrong with it, then speak up." she told them.

"Yeah, there's something wrong with it. It's too tight." Paris said.

"And short." Reyes added.

"And revealing." Lucien piped.

"So it's perfect." Isolde said, grin spreading across her face as she turned to look upstairs. "See, I told you they would approve, Cameo."

Cameo joined her as Isolde descended the last of the stairs.

"None of us said we approved." Reyes said tartly as Isolde slipped past him.

"Well then what about the rest of you? What do you think?" Isolde asked, turning to Sabin and his group.

"I think it's hot." Strider said honestly.

"If it makes you happy, then it shouldn't matter." Sabin added.

"I like it." Cameo said with a shrug.

Amun offered her a smile and signed that he thought it went well with her eyes.

"I so don't approve." Gideon added, wrapping an arm around her shoulders with a grin on his face.

"See? You three are out voted. Too bad, so sad." Isolde told Lucien, Paris, and Reyes with a grin.

She linked her hand with the hand of the arm Gideon had thrown around her shoulders, wrapping her other arm around his waist, and turned, heading out the door with Gideon. Even Sabin ended up laughing along with the others when they saw the look on Lucien's and Reyes' faces. Paris shrugged it off easily. Paris simply caught up with Isolde and Gideon, shoving Gideon away from Isolde and taking his place beside Isolde.

Gideon and Paris playfully bickered the whole way to the nightclub, Isolde trapped between them, but as soon as they arrived, Isolde vanished among the crowd of humans, men turning to watch her past. She ignored all of them, heading for the bar, where she hopped onto a barstool, crossing her legs.

The men she lived with could be so immature at times. Isolde, who was now well known as one of the angels, though she didn't know why, was served a quick drink. Despite being under legal age limit in America, she was two years over the age limit in Hungry. As a part of the group that rebuilt the club, Isolde didn't even have to offer an ID. Isolde gave the bartender a smile and gratefully downed the glass of vodka, a personal favorite.

The bartender was refilling it when a man angled himself onto the stool next to her.

"Hey there, sexy." he rumbled in Hungarian that bordered on ear gauging. "Want to dance?"

"Not really. You might want to beat a hasty retreat before one of my brothers see you. Or my sister. She's worse." Isolde told him.

The man chuckled. Isolde hadn't been joking. Paris, Reyes, and Lucien were possessive and Cameo really was worse than all of the guys. None would be happy if they thought the man was annoying her.

"If she looks anything like you, sweetcakes, I'll take my chances." he told her.

Isolde's eyes shifted over the man's shoulder as she raised her glass to her lips.

"Too bad for you. It wasn't her who spotted you." she replied, before Gideon yanked the man out of his seat.

Gideon gave the man a ruthless smile before he sent him stumbling, half flying across the dance floor where he bounced off other dancers. The man was smart and didn't come back. Gideon dropped to sit next to her, stretching his legs out as he leaned against the bar.

"I don't change my mind. Your outfit rocks." he told her.

"Yeah? Well do me a favor and don't say that in front of Lucien, Reyes, or Paris. They're iffy enough about letting me out as is." Isolde told him, twisting in her seat to look at him. "Drink?" she asked.

"Something fruity."

Isolde grinned.

"Whiskey it is." she said, gesturing to the bartender who sat a glass beside Gideon and filled it with whiskey.

"You're the worst." Gideon told her, grateful that she didn't have any trouble deciphering what he was saying.

She didn't even seem to be annoyed with it. That was something he appreciated since most people got annoyed with it. Even his own friends.

"Yeah I know. Wait until the first time you manage to piss me off. You'll change your mind." she told him.

Gideon shrugged, caught Paris' eye across the room and grinned, reaching out to lay a hand on Isolde's knee. Isolde looked up, catching sight of Paris through the screen of her hair and grinned, deciding to play along. She gave Gideon a playful wink as she laid a hand on his. Catching on, Gideon's grin grew. Isolde leaned towards him, lowering her voice.

"You know he's going to blow a blood vessel over this. He can't take a joke like this." Isolde told him.

"That's what makes it boring." Gideon replied, leaning closer to her, his hand creeping up her leg some.

His hand would go no further but that was all Paris need to be at Gideon's side, yanking the man up by the front of his shirt.

"Hands off. She's like a sister." Paris told her.

"Cool off, Paris. It was a joke. Right, Gideon?" Isolde said.

"Wrong."

Paris looked between the two before releasing Gideon.

"Baby girl, with him, it's not a joke." Paris replied.

"And you forget that I can handle myself if it isn't. I know the future, Paris. Believe me...it was a joke." Isolde replied.

Gideon grinned at Paris and held his hands up innocently. Paris eyed him before looking down at Isolde who was sipping at her vodka, a grin curving her mouth as well.

"Besides, you have a pretty redhead eyeing you, Paris." Isolde added, tilting her chin past him.

Paris turned finding a pretty woman with flaming red hair, watching him dreamily from down the bar. His demon instantly wanted her.

"Have fun." Isolde told him, able to feel the urging of his demon.

Paris didn't stick around. Gideon did, dropping back into his seat. Isolde spun on her seat, scanning the club for her friends. Lucien was sitting alone at a table in the back, not far from the bar, Reyes standing beside him, talking to him. Isolde was well aware of what was about to come. A whirlwind of chaos and mischief in the form of the minor goddess of Anarchy; Anya. Isolde's eyes panned away from Lucien and Reyes, found Paris off in one corner, enjoying the redhead she had pointed out, before landing on the white haired, blue eyed, beauty that she had been looking for.

Anya stood on the other side of the dance floor from Lucien, watching him with a look that suggested she was close to panting over the man. Isolde was well aware that Anya wanted Lucien, wanted his attention, but the man never looked up. He would regret it, Isolde knew. She would make him regret it and he would suffer for it before he admitted he wanted her too. This one was one that Isolde was going to enjoy watching.

Then Paris approached Anya, looking for more fun to sate his demon.

"And here we go." Isolde remarked.

Gideon looked at her with a questioning look.

"Paris is about to get shot down in favor of Lucien." she told him, nodding towards Paris.

Gideon's eyes found Paris and he leaned back to watch it go down. At least he didn't question her like some of the others did. Then again, he knew when she lied, so he wouldn't question her.

As Paris tried to woo Anya, his laughter drew Lucien's attention. The moment his mismatched gaze found Anya, Anya licked her lips and stared towards him, easing herself into a sensual dance and crooking a finger at Lucien to join her. One moment Lucien was at his table and the next, he was standing in front of her. Anya continued her dance, presenting Lucien with her back, showing off the ribbons that barely held her ice blue corset together, as well as the bands of her thong.

Gideon was about to break out into roars of laughter when Lucien jumped away from Anya like she was on fire. But seeing how tense Lucien was, faced with this woman, Gideon got to his feet, telling Isolde, "Do not stay there", before approaching the two with the other Lords. Isolde shook her head. Anya was perfectly harmless...for the most part.

Anya was talking to Lucien when they surrounded her.

"I was just about to walk away." Lucien was telling her.

"But I don't want you to leave." she pouted.

Lucien backed up another step.

"What's wrong, sweetness? Afraid of a little girl? Are you?" Anya asked.

"You have no idea at what game you play, woman." he retorted.

"Oh, but I think I do."

Anya's eyes swept over him, so intense it was like she was touching him everywhere with her eyes alone.

"I said no touching." Lucien barked.

"I'm not touching you, sweetcakes."

"Your gaze suggests otherwise."

"That's because-"

"I'll dance with you." Paris offered.

"No." Anya said instantly, never looking away from Lucien.

"Could be Bait." Sabin suggested.

"I doubt Hunters were able to assemble so quickly after the plague." Reyes argued. "Besides, there's no way they could have figured out a way to bypass our security."

"Just like there's no way they could get into the fortress and nearly behead Torin?" Sabin retorted.

"Damn this! Paris, stay here and watch her while I check the perimeter." Reyes snapped before charging off.

"Maybe I saw the crowd and snuck in. And maybe the big guy and I can go the next few minutes without interruption. In private." Anya said.

None of the Lords moved an inch. Not that she cared. She would work around them. Anya began rocking again, her hand skimming over her own skin with his eyes following them.

"Dance with me." she insisted.

"No."

"Pretty please, with a cherry on top of me."

She saw the flicker of fire in his eyes but he didn't moved an inch toward her, frustrating her even farther.

"Do you not find me desirable, Flowers?" she asked.

"That is not my name."

"Fine, then. Do you not find me desirable, muffin?"

"What I find you matters little."

Anya was close to pouting again as she looked up at him.

"That doesn't really answer my question." she complained.

"Nor was it meant to." he replied.

Anya was done playing games. She turned, bending and allowing her skirt to ride up her thighs and show off her blue thong, before doing sexy little dance on the spot as she twisted around to face him again. Lucien caught sight of the ice blue thong that matched her top in color, as well as the scent of strawberries and cream.

"You smell like strawberries and cream." he remarked, tone going dark.

"Bet I taste like it too." she replied, batting her eyelashes.

He took a step towards her with a growl, raising his hands like he wanted to strangle her, but stopped and fisted his hands.

"You're lucky I do not strike you down here and now." he said.

Anya was shocked. She hadn't expected him to swoon but she had expected something better than this. Then again she had never seen him favor a single woman. With Maddox's woman, Ashlyn, he treated her with kindness and respect. With Cameo it was gentleness and almost parental concern. With the girl Isolde, who they had taken in before Anya had come along, he was soft, stern like a father, but kind. In fact he acted like he was the young woman's father. But he had never shown desire. She didn't get it.

Then Paris spoke.

"Wait a minute...Lucien, she's wearing ice blue. Remember what baby girl said earlier today in the kitchen?"

Lucien's eyes widened.

"'Just be prepared for a lot of ice blue. Or very little. Depends on how you look at it'." he said, repeating the words spoken to him earlier that day.

Lucien rounded on the spot, searching the club, until his eyes found Isolde, lounging at the bar, a glass of something clear in her hand and raised to her lips. Anya followed his eyes finding Isolde and almost laughed when she saw that the skirt of the too tight, too short dress she was wearing, was riding up her thighs. How Lucien let her out of the fortress dressed that way, was beyond her.

When Lucien's eyes landed on the girl, a grin curved Isolde's mouth and she raised her free hand to wave the metallic blue painted finger tips at him before downing the rest of her drink. Lucien cursed under his breath, something about damning Isolde's warnings. He turned back to Anya, eyes sweeping her again. He didn't look so sure about hurting her now and Anya decided to press that advantage. She sauntered up to him, trekking her finger tips up his chest.

"You're going to dance with me. That's the only way to get rid of me." she told him before biting his earlobe.

To her joy, he wrapped his arms around her and yanked her into his body, forcing her to straddle one of his thighs.

"You want to dance, then we will dance." he told her.

Anya nearly shivered as he starting swaying them, her body rubbing just right against his. Her hands found his hair and he nuzzled his nose in her jawline.

"Every man in this building wants you. Why me?" he asked.

"Just because."

"That answers nothing."

"Nor was it meant to."

Lucien gripped her hair tightly.

"Do you find it amusing to tease the ugliest man here?" he asked.

"Ugliest? But I'm nowhere near Paris, sugarpop." she replied.

He paused for a moment, frowning before releasing her. He shook his head at her.

"I know what I am. Ugly is being kind." he growled.

"If you know what you are, sweetness, then you know you're sexy and deliciously menacing." she replied.

"Menacing? Does that mean you want me to hurt you?"

"Only if it involves spanking."

"I suppose my scars do not bother you." he said, tone flat.

"Bother me?"

Anya moved closer and closer until she was able to glide her hands over his chest.

"They turn me on." she admitted.

"Liar."

"Sometimes, but not about this. Ask your friend there at the bar. She'll tell you." Anya said, the mention of Isolde, making his eyes dart towards the girl before they were back on her.

"If I didn't know better, I would think you were Bait, as my men do." he said.

"And what makes you know better?"

"Isolde would not be so relaxed at the sight of you if you were. Are you?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Do you want me to be? 'Cause I'll be anything you want, lover." she replied, knowing that acknowledging that she knew what that was would be dangerous.

"Stop. I do not like this game you are playing." he growled at her.

"No game, Flowers. I promise you."

"What do you want from me? And do not dare lie."

"I'll take a kiss. Actually, I insist on a kiss."

Reyes chose that moment to show up again.

"I didn't find any Hunters nearby." he told Lucien.

"That doesn't mean anything." Sabin replied.

"She's not a Hunter and she is not working with them. Isolde would not be so cheerfully relaxed if she was. I need a moment alone with her." Lucien told his friends.

They stayed put though, annoying Anya.

"We are strangers." Lucien said, continuing their conversation from where they had left off.

"So? Strangers hook up all the time. There's no harm in a little, bittie kiss, is there?"

She arched into him pressing her hips into his, causing him to sink his fingers into her waist to hold her still.

"You will leave? After?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I do not understand this."

"That's okay. I don't, either."

He leaned into her, much to her joy.

"What will a single kiss accomplish?" he asked.

"Are you always this talkative?"

"No."

"Kiss her, Lucien, before I do. Bait or not." Paris called out with good natured laughter.

Lucien didn't jump into the kiss, but Anya wasn't going to leave without that kiss. Not if it was the last thing she did.

"This is futile." he said.

"So what. Futile can be fun. Now, no more stalling. Only doing." she insisted, yanking his head down to kiss him.

Cheers and whistles sounded over the dance floor and in a flash, the two were gone. All of her friends instantly rounded on her. Before she could pick up her newly refilled glass, they were on her asking where Lucien had gone off to.

"Not saying. He's fine, safe. So leave them be for the moment." Isolde told them, picking up her glass.

The answer didn't really sit well with them and they went looking for Lucien anyhow. Isolde shrugged her shoulders, downed the rest of her drink, and hopped off her stool to follow them. They found Lucien and Anya outside.

"I love it when you disappear like that." Gideon called.

"Shut up." Reyes snapped.

Isolde leaned against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I told you he was safe. And I thought you said you trusted me, Reyes." she said sullenly.

Reyes shot her a guilty look, but in front of Anya he had more pressing matters then the possibility that he had hurt Isolde's feeling.

Poor Isolde, Anya thought.

She had watched Isolde a few of the times she had been in the fortress and had seen how the girl watched the others. She was always observant, her grasp on her new found abilities meager at best. And from what Anya could see, there was always a new ability popping up to drive the girl insane. At this point she was trying to come to terms with her link with the demons, a new ability with shadows, and her future sight as well.

Anya would not want to be in her position.

"She might appear innocent, Lucien, but you failed to check her for weapons before you swallowed her tongue." Reyes snapped at Lucien.

"I'm practically naked. What weapon could I possibly be hiding?" Anya snapped in reply.

A look at Isolde told Anya that she was well aware that no matter the amount of clothing Anya had on, she still had weapons to defend herself with. Anya silently thanked her when Isolde kept her mouth closed.

"I had everything under control. I think I can handle one lone female, armed or not." Lucien said.

Isolde snorted, and broke into laughter, that had all of them glancing at her. The girl just waved them off, telling them it was nothing to worry about. Deciding he could talk about it with her later, Reyes turned back to Lucien.

"So who is she?" he asked.

"She might not be Bait, but she's something. You flashed her, but she isn't screaming." Paris said.

All of their eyes shifted to Anya who frowned.

"All of you can just shut it. I'm not telling you a damn thing." Anya snapped.

"Fine." Reyes said, before all their attentions shifted to Isolde instead.

Anya, who was growing to like the girl and who hoped the other female was on her side, shot her a look. Isolde simply raised her hands in defense.

"Hey, I'm well aware of what she is capable of if I get on her bad side. I'm not saying anything. I have enough chaos in my life. You'll figure it out soon enough." Isolde said in reply.

Groans sounded, because they were all aware how stubborn Isolde could be. But if she said they would figure it out, they would.

"I didn't invite you, and Reyes told me no one here claims you as a friend." Paris said, Isolde throwing in an "I do", which got her a glare from him. "Why did you attempt to seduce Lucien?"

"Why wouldn't she? Lucien's a catch." Isolde piped in.

"Isolde, hush." Paris told her.

Isolde just shrugged her shoulders. Anya decided then, she really liked the girl.

"What's up with the third degree? I saw him, he appealed to me, so I went after him. Big deal. End of story." Anya retorted, shooting them all, except Isolde and Lucien, a glare.

Apparently they didn't believe her and formed a semi-circle around her, arms crossed.

"You don't really want him. We all know that. So tell us what you do want before we force you to tell us." Reyes told her.

"Oh boy. Now comes the snark." Isolde muttered, slapping a hand to her forehead.

Everyone ignored her this time.

"I wanted his cock inside me. You get it now, asshole?" Anya retorted.

The shocked silence had Isolde fighting to keep her laughs to herself. Lucien stepped in front of Anya, blocking her from the others' view.

"Lucien, you really might want to think your next words thro-" Isolde started but Lucien cut her off.

"Leave her alone. She doesn't matter. She's unimportant."

Isolde slapped a hand to her face, muttering, "You idiot." under her breath. Lucien shot her a look, raising an eyebrow.

"You, my friend, are a dead man." Isolde told him, crossing her legs at the ankles and crossing her arms.

He didn't have the time to say anything before he was shoved from behind by Anya. The force was enough to send him flying into Paris. Both bounced apart, catching themselves before falling on their butts or knocking into someone else. Lucien turned on Anya, Isolde's, "I told you so" sounding in the background.

"There will be none of that." he told Anya.

"Actually, there's going to be a lot more of that." she snarled, raising her fist.

"Anya. Stop."

Anya froze on the spot.

"You know who I am." Anya said, turning to look at Isolde, who seemed to be the only one willing to help her. "How?"

Isolde tapped her nose with one finger. Anya didn't get it. What did her nose have to do with Lucien knowing who she was?

"You have been following me. I recognized your scent." Lucien said.

That was how.

Anya was torn between being pleased because he had noticed her scent and being mortified that he had known, the whole time, that she had been watching him. Isolde had known too, but she seemed to know everything. Anya wasn't sure how, but Isolde didn't share the information with anyone. Not even those she lived with.

"Why did I get the third degree if you knew who I was? And why, if you knew I was following you, didn't you ask me to show myself? You said, she gave you a warning that I would be here." Anya said, pointing at Isolde with the last comment.

"One, I did not realize who you were until after the discussion about Hunters had taken place. Isolde only gives me vague warnings. Nothing I can actually work on." Lucien said, shooting a grinning Isolde a look. "Two, I did not wish to scare you away until I learned your purpose. What is your purpose?"

"I-you-" Anya stumbled over her words. "You owe me a favor! I saved your friend, freed you from his curse."

"Ah. Everything makes sense now. You've come for payment." he said.

"Well, no. Not yet." she replied, confusing him.

"But you just said-"

"I know what I said."

"Why have you come, then? Why stalk my every waking moment?"

Anya didn't reply, her eyes going to the others as they approached her, scowling. It only annoyed her farther.

"What? I don't recall inviting you into the conversation." she snapped.

"You are Anya?" Reyes asked, eyeing her. "It is...interesting to see you in the flesh after all the research I've done on you lately. You are the daughter of Dysnomia. You are the minor goddess of Anarchy."

"There's nothing minor about me. But yeah. I am a goddess."

"The night you made yourself known to us and saved Ashlyn's life, you told us that you were not. You told us you were merely an immortal." Lucien said.

"I lied. I often do. Its part of my charm, don't you think?" Anya replied with a shrug.

"You have something alright, but I'm not sure charm is the right word. I would use something more along the lines of, "otherworldly" or "spectacular". Something like that." Isolde said while the others remained quiet.

Anya knew she liked the girl.

The others ignored her. Anya figured it was because they knew telling her to be quiet or ordering her to go away would only result in her jumping them from behind. Isolde liked being told to do just about as much as Anya did.

"We were once warriors for the gods and lived in the heavens, as I'm sure you know. I do not remember you." Reyes said.

"Maybe I wasn't born yet, smartie." Anya retorted, getting a curt snicker from Isolde to cheer her on.

"As I told you, since your appearance weeks ago I have been researching you, learning everything I can. Long ago, you were imprisoned for murdering an innocent man." Reyes said.

Isolde let out a curt snort, adding an "Innocent my ass", under her breath. Reyes ignored her.

"Then, a hundred years or so after your confinement, the gods finally agreed on the proper punishment for you. Before they could carry out the verdict, however, you did something no other immortal had ever managed to do. You escaped."

"Your research is correct." Anya confirmed.

"If you ask me, their idea of a proper punishment was bullshit." Isolde remarked.

Anya shot a look at Isolde, put the girl was staring up at the sky.

"Legend claims you infected the keeper of Tartarus with some kind of disease, for immediately after your escape he weakened and lost his memory. Guards were place in every corner to fortify security, as the gods feared the strength of the prison depended on the strength of its keeper. Over time the walls did begin to crumble and crack, which eventually led to the escape of the Titans." Reyes added.

Anya was thankful that Isolde decided not to offer her opinion on this. She probably knew the truth, but as long as she didn't feel like sharing, she could be Anya's BBF.

"The thing about legends, is that the truth is often distorted to explain the things that mortals cannot understand. Funny that you, the subject of so many legends, don't know that." Anya replied.

"You hid here, among humans, but you weren't content to live in peace even then. You started wars, stole weapons and even ships. You caused major fires and other disasters, which in turn led to mass panic and rioting among the humans, and hundreds of people being imprisoned." Reyes said.

He looked to Isolde to tell him, he was right, but Isolde had gone quiet, deciding it was Anya's story to tell and she could keep her mouth shut. Anya was starting to love this girl.

"I did my homework on you, too. Did you not once destroy cities and kill innocents? The only one here not guilty of anything like that, is her." Anya said, jabbing a thumb at Isolde.

"Yeah...I'm not innocent either."

All eyes turned to Isolde.

"Like I said, I had a shitty past. People paid for it, but only because they were guilty." was all Isolde said in reply to their looks.

Anya was intrigued but turned back to the conversation at hand.

"You are not the same man you used to be, just as I am not-"

Anya cut off, seeing Isolde tense a moment before a strong gust of wind buffeted them, hitting them hard enough that Anya had to blink against it. The warriors froze, time stopping for them. Anya felt the invisible prison wall lock around her, but wasn't having it. She wouldn't be held prisoner. Her father had made sure of it. She would have freed Lucien too, but the wind ceased and she knew Cronus would rear his ugly head soon enough.

With regret, she flashed away, leaving Lucien behind.


	12. Piss Poor

Author's Note: Same as always. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or the characters. I'd kick Reyes everyday...just to help him, of course.

Chapter 12 Piss Poor

Isolde had felt the powerful presence before the wind kicked up and her friends froze around her. Anya vanished, flashing away. Knowing what was coming next, Isolde kept still, appearing as if she, too, had been frozen on the spot. As she watched, Lucien unfroze. He wrapped his fingers around a blade, looking around at their friends.

"Reyes? Gideon? Paris?" he asked.

When the three didn't answer, he turned to her, eyes raking over her.

"Isolde? Sweetheart, talk to me." he called.

Isolde didn't move just yet. Didn't speak just yet. Movement in the shadows had him turning away from her and the blade in his hand was sent flying.

"Hello, Death. Do you know who I am?" came a grave voice.

"Lord Titan." Lucien replied. "To what do I owe this...honor?"

Isolde remained perfectly still as Cronus stepped into the light of the moon, his thick, silver hair catching the light. Isolde didn't know why she was unaffected by his power, or why, knowing what he was capable of, she wasn't scared.

You're not from this world, Isolde, you idiot.

That's why. Maybe that was it, maybe it wasn't. Whether it was or not, Isolde would pick the perfect time to show this annoying titan that he had no power over her.

"I do not like your tone." Cronus told Lucien.

"My apologies." Lucien replied, though Isolde knew he didn't mean it.

"You met the wild and elusive Anya." Cronus said.

"Yes. I met her."

"You kissed her."

"Yes."

Isolde watched Cronus approach Lucien. Whether either of them noticed that her eyes followed their movement or not, she didn't know. Didn't care.

"Somehow she's managed to evade me for many weeks. You, however, she seeks out. Why is that, do you think?" Cronus asked.

"I honestly do not know."

"No matter. Now you will kill her." Cronus ordered.

"Kill her?"

"You sound surprised."

Isolde tightened her jaw as Cronus brushed past Lucien, knocking the man backward. She had always hated Cronus. At times he had seemed like a half decent guy, but underneath that he was a jackass with a serious ego issue. She wanted to punch him so badly.

Lucien on the other hand, rounded on Cronus, knowing full well that had Isolde been free of Cronus, she would have pounced on the god for daring to touch him. Isolde didn't like others messing with what was hers and she had claimed them all.

"If it pleases you, may I ask why you want her...dead?" Lucien called.

"She is Anarchy, trouble to all who encounter her. That should be reason enough. You should thank me for this honor." Cronus replied.

Lucien wanted to nothing more than to kill this god and had to clamp down on the urge. He would have if he didn't fear for the sakes of his friends. Feared for Isolde. Isolde was young, just twenty, and even if she claimed differently, she was innocent. He didn't want her dragged into something because of him.

"I do not wish to do this deed." Lucien told him.

He never saw the titan move, but he was there in front of him a breath later. He stretched an arm out, his Scythe hovering before Reyes' neck. Lucien was glad it wasn't Isolde. He loved Reyes like a brother, but Isolde was like a daughter to him and he would have torn into Cronus' throat had the titan threatened her life.

"However long it takes, warrior, whatever you have to do, you will bring me her dead body. Fail to heed my command, and you and all those you love will suffer." Cronus told him, lowering his arm now that he made his point.

"Sounds like you're just grasping at straws there."

Lucien froze, his blood turning to ice in his veins as Cronus whipped around. Isolde, not frozen like the others, was slipping past them, heading for the king of gods. Isolde, ignoring the panic filled look Lucien shot her, circled Cronus, looking him over.

"You know, I've tried picturing you in my head, countless times, but never really got it right. I always thought you would be a little more...how to put this...menacing looking." Isolde said, hands on hips as she circled him.

"Isolde." Lucien said lowly in warning. "You do not know what you are doing."

"I know who he is, Lucien." Isolde replied.

Cronus watched her, his eyes sharp as he looked at her.

"Who are you? And why were you not stopped as they others?" Cronus asked.

"Now that's a question. If it's a name you want, I am Isolde Amorette Lord. If it's a species...I can't really say. That's an iffy subject at this point in time. As for your second question, I'm not sure. Perhaps it's because of some strange power of my own. Or perhaps, more simply, it is because you don't have the power to contain me. I'm not sure." Isolde replied.

Cronus obviously didn't like being told he didn't have the power to do something. He reached for Isolde, but a shadow snapped out, wrapping around his wrist to stop his hand mere inches from her face. Isolde smiled at the shocked looks on both Cronus' and Lucien's faces.

"This is a new little ability I've only recently come to realize I have. I want to call it shadow stitching but I'm sure there's a copyright out there somewhere on that name." she said, shadows thickening around her.

"What are you?" Cronus growled.

"Like I said...no clue. But do me a favor, will you, and tell your buddy to shut the hell up. He's squealing like a pig and it's giving me a headache." Isolde replied, pitching her voice low on the last two comments so Lucien couldn't hear her.

Cronus' eyes widened as he looked down into the twin pools of vermillion and sky blue.

"I didn't mean any disrespect, so there was no need to try to touch me. I was simply throwing out possibilities to answer your question. You wouldn't have been pleased if I had refused to answer. The bottom answer is, I don't know. I just wasn't affected. Nice to know, really. I don't relish the idea of being frozen and unaware around males." Isolde added, the shadow releasing Cronus and returning to those now surrounding Isolde.

Cronus eyed her, not liking the intelligent gleam in her eyes. But he could use that. He would have to keep a close eye on her, but he could use her later on. Especially when it came to dealing with the Lords, who had obviously taken her in. He could punish her later, whether she meant disrespect or not, but not until he knew what other abilities she had. He lowered his arm, but her sharp gaze never faltered. He would give her one thing...she was a pretty little thing. Almost as beautiful as his Rhea had once been.

The girl's head tilted to the side, as if she had just heard something and her eyes narrowed, the sky blue edges of her irises beginning to drain, leaving behind only vermilion red. Her body tensed and he could feel the tension and growing animosity rolling off her in waves. Lucien felt it too, for he tensed behind her, ready to grab her. She would be a tough one to rein in, but he had a feeling he would enjoy it.

"Have a nice day, Lord Cronus." she told him, straightening her back, and jutting out her chin.

Oh, yes, he would enjoy it.

"See to it that he does as told." Cronus told her.

"I will see to him." she replied, choosing her words carefully.

He could sense no lie in her words, but the promise was a vague one. Cronus knew that was the best he would get from her, gave a nod, and vanished in a flash of azure blue light. Time around them unfroze and Lucien relaxed.

"What the hell? Where did she go?" Reyes asked, looking around.

"She was just here. Baby girl? How'd you get there so quickly?" Paris asked, spinning on the spot before noticing that Isolde wasn't in her previous spot.

Then he noticed that Isolde was practically shaking with the force of growing anger. Her eyes were inching closer to blood red as she stared at the spot just in front of her.

"Baby girl...you're eyes are leeched of the blue and are turning red. What happened?" Paris asked, inching back away from her.

Knowing what usually happened when she was in a state like this, Reyes inched away from her too. Gideon caught on, following their lead. Lucien on the other hand, stepped forward, gently resting his hands on her shoulders.

"It's nothing worth mentioning. Don't worry about it. I just need a breather." Isolde replied, giving Lucien's hand a squeeze before brushing both of them off her shoulders.

She turned on her heels and stalked away, rolling her shoulders until they popped.

"Let us go back inside and enjoy the rest of the evening." Lucien told the others.

"Hey, wait a sec." Paris said.

"No. We will speak of this no longer." Lucien said with a shake of his head, before following after Isolde's retreating form.

Once inside, Lucien pulled Reyes aside to a table where Isolde sat, already nursing a glass of vodka in her hands. Lucien could smell the ambrosia in the liquor as she raised it to her lips and wondered where the girl had gotten it.

"I thought you said ambrosia could be dangerous to you." Lucien remarked.

"I thought so. But apparently not. I've been drinking it the last two weeks. It was about the only thing that could numb the pain in my chest from my ribs." she replied.

Lucien nodded as he and Reyes took seats at the table.

"Spill. Isolde doesn't work herself into a haze like that over nothing." Reyes demanded, his eyes moving out towards the dance floor.

"You researched Anya. Who did she kill to earn imprisonment? Why did she kill him?" Lucien asked.

"The scrolls I read gave no mention to why, only who. Aias."

"I remember him. He probably deserved it."

"When she killed him, he was Captain of the Immortal Guard. My guess is Anya caused some sort of disaster, Aias meant to arrest her, and they fought." Reyes replied.

"Well your guess is wrong." Isolde piped in.

"Isolde?" Lucien asked turning to her.

"I can't tell you details, but yeah, he deserved it. I would have done the same thing, myself. Personally I would have done more than just ripped out his heart and put it on a pike." Isolde replied.

The two men grimaced at the thought of their Isolde ripping some poor bastard's heart out and sticking it on a pike, let alone doing anything worse than that.

"I wonder if she means to strike at you next." Reyes said idly.

Isolde's head whipped around then, eyes bordering on crimson red, latching on to him.

"You know not every female you come across is so distrustful." she spat at him.

Reyes twisted his head to look at her in shock, but she wasn't apologizing as she usually did when she lashed out at them in the moments when a demon influenced her. It led both men to believe she was truly angry of her own choice.

"I have to wonder if maybe that's why you seem so against trusting me." she added.

Reyes winced at the verbal lash. When she wanted to, Isolde knew exactly where to hit to hurt the worse and she didn't have to use her fist to do it.

"Isolde!" Lucien snapped at her.

Isolde turned her face away from them, tossing an arm over the back of her chair. She didn't say another word. Didn't apologize. Lucien would let her sulk and fume for now. It was best to just let her work through it. He turned back to Reyes.

"What else did you learn about Anya?" he asked.

"As I mentioned outside, she is the only daughter of Dysnomia."

"Dysnomia? I do not remember her."

"She is the goddess of Lawlessness and the most reviled immortal among the Greeks. She slept with everything male, no matter if he was wed or not. No one even knows who Anya's father is." Reyes said.

"Sounds like a female Paris. And there are people who know who her father is. I'm not the only one." Isolde butt in.

Both men fought not to let out curt laughs at the "female Paris" bit, knowing she was in no mood to amuse people.

"No suspicions?" Lucien asked Reyes, knowing Isolde wouldn't tell him.

"How could there be when the mother in question had several different lovers each and every day?" he replied.

Isolde offered no answer for them. Go figure.

"Surprised me, that such a woman could produce a daughter who looks so much like an angel. Hard to believe pretty Anya is actually wicked." Reyes remarked.

"What else do you know of her? Surely there is something more." Lucien said.

"Anya is cursed in some way, but there was no hint as to what kind of curse." Reyes answered with a shrug.

"Any mention of who was responsible for cursing her?"

"Themis, the goddess of Justice. She is a Titan, though she betrayed them to aid the Greeks when they claimed the heavenly throne."

"What do you remember of Themis?"

"Only that she was wife to Tartarus, the prison guard."

"Perhaps she cursed Anya to punish her for hurting Tartarus in order to escape?"

"If the scoll's timeline was correct, the curse came before Anya's imprisonment. Perhaps Anya is exactly like her mother. Perhaps she slept with Tartarus and infuriated the goddess. Isn't that why most women wish ill upon other females?"

Isolde heaved a tart sigh, before pushing herself to her feet. The two men looked at her as she downed the rest of her drink and took off. She grabbed Gideon's hand as she passed and yanked him onto the dance floor with her. Gideon gladly went with her.

"Why do I feel like she hates me now?" Reyes asked, watching Isolde as she danced with Gideon.

"She does not hate you. She is simply...frustrated." Lucien replied.

"She seems very defensive of Anya." Reyes remarked.

"Isolde knows the future as well as the past. Perhaps there is something about one or the other that she sympathizes with. Either way, her judgement of a person has yet to be wrong." Lucien said.

"I still do not like it that we are in Anya's debt. I do not like it that she came to the club. As I said earlier, Anya leaves a trail of destruction and chaos everywhere she goes."

"We leave a trail of destruction and chaos everywhere we go."

"We used to, but we never enjoyed it. She was smiling as she seduced you. I saw the way you looked at her. Like I looked at Danika."

Lucien did know what he was going to do. He wanted to ignore this latest order, but now Cronus was aware of Isolde and how special she was. The king of gods had already threatened his friends, Lucien didn't need him taking even more of an interest in Isolde as well. To protect the girl who had become a sergeant daughter to him, to protect his brothers-by-circumstance, he would have to kill Anya as ordered.

Then there was the interaction between Isolde and Cronus. There was something there. Isolde knew something about Cronus that he didn't want others knowing. Her mood had soured so quickly after he had tried to touch her, her eyes doing the same thing they did when she was losing control on her mental barriers. Not to mention her new ability.

The whole thing gave Lucien a headache.

"I am waiting."

Lucien looked up at Reyes, blinking as he cleared his mind.

"For?

"For you to tell me what happened out there. Isolde's temper does not sour that quickly for nothing."

"Nothing happened." Lucien lied easily.

"Your lips are still bruised and swollen from kissing her. Your hair is in spikes around your head from where she plowed her fingers through. You stepped in front of her when we meant to take her, then she disappeared altogether, and Isolde went from behind twenty feet behind me to ten feet in front of me. Nothing happened? Try again."

Lucien couldn't tell Reyes about Cronus, but there was one thing he could tell him, that would redirect his attention to Isolde instead.

"Isolde has a new ability involving shadows. I am not quite sure the extent of it yet, though." Lucien told him.

Reyes sat up straight, leaning on the table.

"A new ability? She told us nothing of it." Reyes said.

"When has Isolde ever told us anything that we did not practically pry out of her?"

Reyes leaned back, scrubbing a hand over his face before he turned his eyes to Isolde who was caught between Paris and Gideon on the dance floor.

"What are we to do with her?" Reyes asked.

"For now, we just watch her."

Reyes nodded idly.

"Tell the others I'll meet them in Greece. I won't be traveling with them as planned." Lucien added, suddenly.

"What? Why?" Reyes asked with a frown.

"I've been commanded to take a soul."

"Take a soul? Not just escort it to heaven or hell? I don't understand."

"You do not need to understand."

"You know I hate when you turn cryptic. Tell me who and why." Reyes insisted.

"Does it matter? A soul is a soul, and the outcome is the same no matter the reason. Death"

With that Lucien clapped Reyes on the shoulder and stood. He left Reyes behind, casting a look at Isolde who had her back to him, before heading outside to follow Anya's spiritual trail. Closing his right eye, he scanned the area. He found first the pink of Anya's passion which turned to blue for sadness. Then it turned red in fury.

But it wasn't the only splash of red.

Lucien picked up the blazing red of Isolde's fury, layered through with a mix of black and white. Black being a darker emotion he couldn't pin-point and white being fear. Something had scared Isolde and had made her angrier for it.

He would question her later and wouldn't expect no for an answer, but for now, he had work to do.

-0-0-0-0-

When Lucien finally flashed home after flashing all over the place, following Anya and then fighting with her, he was on edge and ready to rip his hair out of his skull. It was morning in Budapest when he finally arrived in his room, not that he really noticed that at first. He was too wrapped up in Anya and the feel and taste of her. It frustrated him so much, he pushed the wall, stone crumbling around his fist.

"I am a foolish man." he muttered.

"Tell me something I don't already know."

Lucien whipped around, facing his bed, on hand flying for a knife, only to stop when his eyes met those of Isolde. The girl had long sense washed the make-up from her face and had switched the dress she had worn for a pair of black jean short with frayed end, a black tank top with a dark purple button-up shirt tied on over it, and knee high boots. She was currently sitting at the foot of his bed, arms and legs crossed, and two bags sitting at her feet.

"Baby girl, what are you doing here?" he asked, releasing the blade he had reached for.

"Waiting for you. We're supposed to be going to Greece, right?" she replied.

"Why didn't you leave with the others?"

"And watch Paris have his way with two flight attendants right there in front of me? No, thank you. Beside, everything of importance that is going to be happening is going to be happening around you. I'm sticking to you like glue."

Lucien opened his mouth to say something when his door flew open and Ashlyn rushed inside. Maddox was right behind her, two blades in his hands.

"Everything okay? We were walking down the hall and heard a bang." Ashlyn asked her eyes going from Isolde to Lucien.

"Everything is fine." Lucien replied, ready to snap.

He gave Maddox a pleading look, not wanting to hurt Ashlyn's feelings. Maddox caught on.

"Ashlyn. Lucien is preparing for his journey to the temple. Let's leave him to it."

Ashlyn shrugged him off.

"You don't look fine." she said.

"All is well." Lucien lied.

The look on Isolde's face suggested that she wanted to call him out on the lie, but she, thankfully, kept her mouth closed.

"You hand is bleeding and your bones are...Dear God."

Ashlyn reached for his hand but Maddox stopped her.

"Maddox, I just want to see how bad his injuries are. We might have to reset the bones." she told him.

"Lucien will heal. Isolde will see to it. You need to rest." Maddox insisted.

"Rest, rest, rest. I'm four weeks pregnant, not sickly." Ashlyn replied.

"Annoyingly endearing, isn't it?" Isolde asked, getting a smile from Ashlyn.

"Your man is correct. I am fine." Lucien told Ashlyn.

"Word has already spread about you and a woman at the club. Who is she?" Ashlyn asked, as stubborn as Isolde.

"She is no one." Lucien replied.

"You got in trouble for a comment like that once already, Lucien. Be mindful." Isolde warned.

Lucien clenched his fist. He hated that she was right, but she was.

"Warriors should not gossip." Lucien said.

"I'm not a warrior, so I'll do as I please." was Isolde's retort.

She was pretty much admitting that she was the one that had gossiped in the first place.

"Lucien, I'm not a warrior, either, so I can gossip. You kissed her. Everyone said they saw you-"

"I am fine, and the woman is of no concern." Lucien said, cutting Ashlyn off.

Lucien tried to tell himself that that was true. That she wasn't important and that she was using him. Then he found himself asking himself what if she was seducing another at that very moment. Tension hummed from him before, with a roar, he twisted and punched the wall again and again. Maddox hid Ashlyn behind him and Isolde remained quiet and still where she sat. Of course, there was nothing but quiet observation from Isolde. Lucien forced himself to calm down.

"How is Torin?" he asked. "I do not like how slowly he is healing."

"After talking with Isolde, I think I figured out why he hasn't bounced back as quickly as the rest of you do. He's Disease, right? Well, I think his cells are affected by that sickness. They have to fight the virus as well as the wound. Anyway, he is healing. He's eating on his own now." Ashlyn answered.

"Good. That's good. And how is Aeron?"

"Well...He's not so good."

"The bloodlust is so great he's taken to clawing himself. Nothing I say penetrates his dark thoughts." Maddox answered.

"Are you two going to be alright on your own?"

"Yes. Torin is able to monitor the grounds on his computers and now that my death-curse is broken, I can leave at any time to defend us or procure items we might need. I will miss Isolde's cooking though." Maddox answered.

Isolde awarded him with a grin. Lucien nodded, as she hopped off his bed, grabbing her bags with one hand as she took hold of his free hand.

"Good. I'll let you know what we find. Thank you for the flowers, Ashlyn." Lucien said, swiping up his bad before flashing both him and Isolde to the Cyclades Islands in Greece.

The moment they appeared, Isolde went in search of a room to call her own, dragging her bags along with her. It left him to his thoughts, which he was both thankful and unhappy about. At least she seemed to be in a better mood today then she had been the night before. That was best for everyone involved. Isolde's temper was volatile at best, and almost always was destructive. Lucien lost himself in his thoughts, his train of thought going from Isolde to Anya and staying on the latter.

Then the opening of a door and the sound of male voices, drew him from his thoughts. Lucien turned as Paris, followed by Amun, Strider, and Gideon, walked in, all laughing. Isolde reappeared in a doorway, leaning against the jam and crossing her arms as she watched the four, Strider punching Gideon in the shoulder.

"You know you're jealous." Strider said.

"Don't hate the player. I can't help it if both flight attendants wanted to see to my needs midair." Paris added.

Isolde shot Lucien an I-told-you-so look, and faked gagging on something, managing to put a small smile on Lucien's face as he strode into the room.

"We paid for a private jet, not a private bedding for Paris." Lucien remarked.

"Private is the wrong word. They-"

"Did it in front of everyone." Isolde said, cutting off Strider.

All eyes turned to the girl as she rolled her eyes and made a gagging noise.

"Gag me with a spoon, why don't you. The mental image is enough to make me feel like saying hello to my breakfast again." she added.

Strider and Gideon roared with laughter, both giving Paris a slap on the back as Isolde verbally burned him.

"I'm not complaining. The movie was crap, so their performance kept me entertained." Strider said.

"Yep, here comes my breakfast." Isolde teasing, pressing a hand to her stomach in a faked show of a rolling stomach.

Lucien rolled his eyes at them all.

"Take a look around. Pick a bed." he told them.

"I already claimed my room. And no, I'm not sharing." Isolde said when both Strider and Gideon opened their mouths.

Both closed their mouths, grinning at her before bags were tossed aside in favor of looking around the house. Isolde had claimed a bedroom separate from the others with an attached bathroom. As the only girl in the group, Lucien figured that was for the best. He still wasn't sure how to feel about Isolde being around Sabin and his group. She got along great with Cameo and handled Strider and Gideon with ease, was even on good terms with Amun and Kane, but she didn't seem to be making much head way with winning over Sabin. Lucien knew it was only a matter of time.

"Nice. Chicks will certainly love it." Paris said, as he looked around.

"Sucks." Gideon piped in.

"How long have you been here?" Strider asked Lucien.

"Only a few minutes."

"How is that even possible? You didn't fly out before us, and you damn sure didn't fly with us." Strider replied.

"My man here did a little something called flashing. Learned it a few years after we arrived in Buda." Paris said, looping an arm around Lucien's shoulders.

"Cool skill. Isolde came with you?"

"She knew what was going to happen on the jet and didn't want to be there for the show." Lucien replied.

"Makes sense. Why didn't you just flash all of us?" Strider asked.

"Last time he spread the flashing love, Reyes threw up all over his shirt. I never laughed so hard in my life. Lucien, though, has no sense of humor and vowed never to take us again. Can't see why he did it for baby girl." Paris said.

"Because I didn't puke like Reyes and I sure as hell didn't faint like you." Isolde remarked from where she had just dropped to sit on Amun's knee.

The man was surprised she had chosen him as a perch but didn't do anything to make her move. He was fine with it as long as she was. Strider laughed at hearing that part.

"Oh, man. You fainted? What a baby! Shit, look at that view."

There was barely a pause between the topic subjects before Strider turned to the balcony to look out over the view beyond.

"Reminds me of Olympus." he said, while Paris turned on Isolde.

"Hey, I hit my head midflash." Paris told her.

"Bullshit." Isolde said, calling him out on it.

"That doesn't make you any less of a baby. No matter how many times I see this place, it feels like the first time." Strider said, leaning on the balcony frame.

Isolde popped to her feet, ignoring Paris' almost challenge as she joined Strider too look out at the view.

"It is beautiful. The only part of my childhood I actually miss." Isolde agreed.

"You're from Greece?" Strider asked, looking down at her.

"I told you, I spent some of my childhood in Greece. My father was a mix of Native American, Irish, and French. Hence my former last name, Amorette. My mother was a mix of Native American, Australian, and Greek. I was born in Ireland, stayed there until I was two, moved to Greece and lived there until I was almost seven, and spent the next ten or so years in Australia, until I took off to the States at seventeen. Greece, by far, was my favorite." Isolde told him.

"Took off? Meaning you ran away?" Strider asked.

"Yeah, pretty much. Home life was piss poor. Hell, life in general was piss poor. Was up until I moved into the fortress in Budapest. Seems people love trying to screw each other over and Fate dealt me a sorry hand in that game." Isolde remarked.

Her tone was casual as she leaned on the balcony rail to look out at the sight before her. It looked so much like the sights she saw when she had lived in Greece. Isolde couldn't help but congratulate Gena Showalter on her description skills. She must have done her research. So lost in her thoughts, Isolde didn't notice the looks flying between the men. The only reason Amun hadn't picked up on the secrets in her head was because Isolde had gone to painstaking lengths to block Secrets out. It helped when she could hear the demon.

"Isolde. People were cruel to you, were they not?" Lucien asked.

"People reject what they don't understand. Humans don't like it when they can't comprehend something and they respond to that with anger and fury. Sometimes its harsh words, other times it's raised fist. They think that if it doesn't fit their idea of normal, if there's anything different about it, then it has to be shunned, has to be destroyed. The people in my life went to great lengths to destroy me, and almost succeeded. Cruel doesn't even begin to describe it. They hated me, were disgusted by every breath I drew. I was abnormal, they couldn't understand me, so they lashed out at me. I understood all that very early on." Isolde replied.

Silence met Isolde's words and, feeling a little uncomfortable, Isolde turned and heaved herself up on the balcony rail, so that she was facing all of them.

"But that doesn't matter. I'm here now and I'm better and stronger for it. I probably would have left sooner if I wasn't sure my father would use every legal means to drag me back. At seventeen, no one could force me to go back. Not that he didn't try. At midnight on my seventeenth birthday, I packed my bags and left that house. I haven't looked back since." she added.

"But that's just running." Strider remarked.

Isolde leaned back, hooking her ankles in the rails to keep from falling over the rail. She looked up at the sky, her long hair catching in the slight breeze and blowing around her, the sun catching on the slight red tint in the strands.

"Running is all I can do. Its better then facing the fear and hurt. Despite everything they did to me, I could never raise a hand against them. They are my flesh and blood. I tried once and lost the only thing in my life that was good. I won't repeat it. I learned my lesson." she replied.

"Isolde?" Lucien questioned.

"I have nothing left to lose and that's why I'm not looking back. I'll never be the same girl, people change, but she's still here, deep inside. Scared and hurt, angry and disgusted, and quite frankly, I fucking hate it. I hate being afraid and I hate feeling hurt. I hate that I let them hurt me. Hate that it still hurts. And I'm angry at that hurt. You'd think after all these years, that I would be numb to it. God, I wish I was. I still can't help but wonder what I ever did to make the people, who should have loved me no matter what, hate my every breath." Isolde added idly, talking as if she was lost in thought and didn't notice that it was spilling from her mouth.

"You didn't do anything, baby girl. There's nothing you could have done to warrant cruelty." Paris told her.

Isolde just let out a curt laugh, fixing her eyes on him.

"And you have?"

The warriors looked at each other. Lucien was the one that spoke next.

"We did deserve it. Hurt and killed innocents. You have done nothing of the sort." he told her.

"No, you were controled by demons then. That was not **your** doing. There's a big difference. But me? Gods know I've tried to tell myself that, but I'm not blind and naive anymore. I did plenty, after a while, to make them hate me. Hell, I hate myself, thinking back on it now, for what I loss trying to face them on their level. Life's not fair. I learned that the hard way." she told him.

"Isolde...what happened?" Lucien asked, hoping that for once, just once, she would actually give them some answer that could explain to them why she was the way she was.

To explain to them something about the girl who could rocket from one emotion to the other with such surprising speed it was shocking that she didn't get whiplash. They got whiplash just watching her.

Isolde stared at them for a long moment, as if battling with a need to tell them, to tell someone, what had happened and a fear of rejection if she did. They could see the war in her eyes and knew when the fear won out. They could see the self-hate that washed over her eyes quickly after the fear won. She turned her face from them to stare, unseeing, out at the land.

"We have work to do, don't we?" she asked.

They knew that was the end of the conversation. They had gotten more out of her than ever before, but it still wasn't enough. They could guess what had happened to the girl, on some level, but details, what she had lost, none of that was answered. Lucien felt his blood run cold at the thought of the injustice dealt this girl who was like his own daughter.

"Isolde-"

"Lucien, I'm stronger then I was then, much stronger, but I'm not strong enough to face this head on. Not yet. Please stop pushing." she told him, cutting him off.

Lucien bit his tongue. She wasn't ready to answer him yet and he knew pushing would only push her away, so he nodded, understanding and accepting it...for now.

"Alright. We have work to do." he said.

"Work sucks." Gideon piped in getting a, "I'm with you on that." from Isolde.

Lucien ignored them.

"We need to better secure the building in case any Hunters managed to follow us. After that, we'll prepare for our outing tomorrow." Lucien said.

Isolde hopped down from the rail, pausing long enough to get pulled into Lucien's side and receive a kiss on the crown of her head. She could always count on him to give her the fatherly love she had been denied her whole life. When he released her, she went about helping to set up sensors on the windows and around the building, managing to climb to spots the others couldn't reach.

The advantage of being female and therefore smaller than them.

They were all covered in sweat when they joined each other back in the living room, Isolde claiming a perch on Amun's knee again as she wiped her face with a cotton handkerchief from her pocket. She offered a second to Amun who took it with a grateful smile.

"I had Torin look a few things up before we left. He thinks the temple we're going to search is the Temple of the All Gods. Ever heard of it?" Paris asked, as he removed weapons and sat them on the nearest table.

Out of a force of habit, two of the blades vanished and were in Isolde's boots before Paris ever noticed. The others did and grinned. Lucien ignored it and shook his head at Paris' question. His thoughts instantly flew to Anya, who had not given them the names of the temples. Isolde stiffened on her seat, Death rearing his heads inside hers, whispering to her to kill.

"What do you think we'll find? And why the hell do you now look capable of murder? These last few weeks the only expression you've given us was bored. I mention the temples and hello, demon." Strider said, looking at Lucien.

The others turned to Lucien, not noticing the killing aura around Isolde as Death wiggled past her guards. She tried pushing him out, but Death so rarely messed with her, that she had never had to try pushing him out. He was strong and slipped through her guards quickly.

"Hopefully we'll find the box. Or at least a clue as to it whereabouts." Lucien said, ignoring Strider's comment, his mind circling back around to Anya and his order to kill her.

"Shit. His eyes are red. I've never seen that happen to him before." Paris remarked.

"I remember what he was like back in the demon days, and it wasn't pretty. Should we, I don't know, chain him?" Strider asked.

"Yeah, that'll be fun." Gideon butted in.

"And hello red eyes in Isolde too." Strider said.

All eyes turned to Isolde. The blue had already leeched out of her eyes and vermilion was swiftly darkening to crimson. Her eyes were narrowed and her head tilted as if she was tuning in to a voice, which she probably was. Lucien swore to himself. He knew Isolde went to great mental lengths to keep Disease and Death out of her head. Amun gripped her arms to keep her in place when her fist clenched.

"Give me a minute, and I'll be fine. So will she." Lucien said, before flashing away.

It took a few minutes of Lucien being absent before the color of her eyes faded back to its original color and a few more for the blue to return. Finally she blinked and relax, sinking back against Amun's chest, rubbing at her temples.

"Damn, he's strong. My head is pounding." Isolde remarked.

"Who? Death?" Paris asked.

Isolde nodded.

"He's been holding back on me. Apparently he doesn't like it in my head. Good. I don't want him there." Isolde retorted.

The pout on her face had the man grinning at her.

"Maybe he found an image of a naked Paris and screamed." Strider retorted.

Isolde yanked a throw pillow off the couch and chunked it at him just as Paris punched him in the shoulder. Strider laughed at them, taking the pillow shot to the chest.

"Paris is like a brother, so that is sick." Isolde told him.

"And you're like Lucien's daughter. Does that make little Paris, Lucien's little boy?" Strider replied.

Paris and Isolde shared a look before Paris jumped away from him, allowing Isolde to dog pile Strider. The two wrestled in the open part of the floor, Paris and Gideon pulling tables and chairs out of the way. Strider, at first, had not wanted to hurt Isolde and so had only aimed to pin her and win, but he found out quickly that Isolde was well able to hold her own and had to block low blows and dirty tricks as she scrambled with him. Every time he thought he had her, she wiggled free and yanked him down to pin him herself.

When Lucien reappeared, he found the two rolling across the floor, Gideon and Paris cheering them on. Isolde's eyes weren't red, so Lucien knew she was just playing around. Then the girl snaked her way around Strider and managed to push his face into the floor and sit on his back. She leaned her weight on Strider's head, keeping it down. It was then that she noticed Lucien.

"Oh! Hey Lucien." she greeted.

"You know he can't lose a challenge, so what are you doing?" Lucien asked.

"Getting a little pay back for him making fun of me." Isolde replied.

"We'll see about that." Strider said before heaving upwards, throwing her off his back.

Isolde squeaked, then cursed when her back hit the floor. Strider lunged at her and Isolde's feet came up to meet his stomach, bending as his weight leaned on them and then heaving with all her power to lever him over her head. Strider swore under his breath as he hit the floor on his side. Isolde was on him quickly and the two went rolling again.

Isolde knew she couldn't make him lose and she was content after having pinned him twice and sent him flying once. So she let herself slip and let him pin her, claiming victory. Strider let out a cheer as Isolde blew her hair out of her face.

"Great, now can you get off?" she asked.

Strider grinned, getting off her back and helping her to her feet. He looped an arm around her shoulders, giving her shoulder a pat.

"You didn't throw that, did you?" he asked.

"Of course not!" Isolde replied, shaking her head no.

Strider grinned and turned away. The moment he turned his back, the shaking of her head turned to nodding and Isolde mouthed, "Yes, I did." to the others. Paris and Gideon roared with laughter, making Strider turn back to Isolde who gave him a shrug of her shoulders as if to say she didn't know what they were laughing about. Strider gave her a stern look before turning away again. Isolde stuck her tongue out at his back.

Despite everything in her past, she had found people that cared and she was glad to have someone to joke around with like this. Even if she was sure her ribs were going to hurt after having Strider's fat ass sitting on her.


	13. Insecurity

Author's Note: Sorry, this one is on the shorter side. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or then characters.

Chapter 13 Insecurity

The next morning Isolde showered, pulling on a pair of jean shorts that barely reached past the curve of her butt and a black crop top, before tying on another button-up shirt, this one in camo. She strapped weapons to her body, before pulling on her boots and gloves and pulled her hair back. She grabbed her sunglasses and perched them on top of her head. She knew there would be Hunters on the island and was ready for a fight.

After how she had handle herself when Hunters had taken her prisoner, Lucien could no longer deny that she could fight for herself. When she joined the others, they were sitting in the living room watching a movie, Lucien still missing.

"Any shorter and those shorts won't be shorts." Strider remarked, seeing her.

"Really? Gee, I guess that cuts out my booty shorts then." she retorted.

"Wait, those aren't booty shorts?" Paris asked looking at her.

Isolde snorted out a laugh before dropping to sit in a chair, crossing her legs.

"You know for guys that are thousands of years old, you still have a lot to learn about what girls classify as booty shorts." she told them.

"I didn't take you as the type to wear them." Paris remarked.

"Yeah, well we've got a lot of work to do today. And I do mean a lot. It's easier to move when I've got less clothes on. Everything's covered, so I'm good. And it's not like you haven't seen me in less, Paris."

Paris grinned as Strider, Amun, and Gideon looked at him.

"Really? I thought you said she was like a sister." Strider said, punching him on the shoulder.

"As if I would sleep with him. I've got standards and a one-night stand isn't apart of them." Isolde told him.

"When Isolde arrived, she fell through our roof. We striped her to her underwear while she was unconscious, to bandage the injuries." Paris explained. "Love the tattoos, by the way, baby girl."

Isolde shrugged.

"What tattoos?" Strider asked.

"I don't want to see." Gideon added in.

Isolde heaved a sigh, getting to her feet. She turned, putting her back to them and untied the button-down shirt, letting it slide down her arms to bare her back, revealing the lotus flower between her shoulder blades. As well as a butt load of weapons strapped to her lean body. A flick of her pony showed off the dragon winding up her nape. A twist and the lowering of the shirt more showed off the butterfly curling around her ribs.

The silver of the tattoo flashed back at them, almost like it was made of crushed diamonds. The man sat forward to get a closer look when they could have sworn it moved, put Isolde yanked the shirt up, and tied it back into place.

"That butterfly-"

"I got it when I was eighteen." Isolde said, cutting Strider off.

"You got it? As in actually had it tattooed on you?" he asked.

"Yep."

Isolde dropped to sit. Gideon's demon didn't sense a lie in that, but he got the feeling that something was off. Paris didn't remember the tattoo glittering before either, but he could have simply not noticed. None of could question her further, for Lucien showed up at that moment.

"Finally. Was getting worried." Strider said.

"Hunters." was all that came from Lucien.

All of the men went on alert, Paris jumping to his feet, whipping out his blades.

"How many?" he asked.

"Thirteen above ground." came the answer from Isolde.

All of the men looked at her. Of course she had known. That was what she had meant about a lot of work to do.

"Correct. There could be more in their tunnels, coming and going. Since I can't watch more than one location at a time, my count could be off." Lucien added.

Amun pulled out a gun, checking the magazine as Isolde got to her feet and checked the two guns at the small of her back.

"There is not going to be a bloodbath tonight." Gideon said, grinning.

"Should be a good work out." Isolde agreed.

"Isolde."

The girl looked up at Lucien.

"Your new ability, how well can you use it?" Lucien asked.

"Well, I'm working on using it to travel. I can only go short distances at the moment. I can use it to guard and hide from sight, but someone could still bump into me." she answered.

Lucien nodded. He could use her help then. Taking them one at a time, Lucien flashed them all to the island. To Isolde's great amusement, Paris passed out and Gideon threw up. She, like Strider and Amun, had no problem with the flash. Even though it would put the girl in danger, danger she willingly took on, Lucien had Isolde cloak herself in her shadows and scout the above ground area.

Isolde jumped at the chance to be of help, grinning as she melted into the shadows. They only saw the shifting of the foliage once before losing track of her.

They waited in cover for her to return and Lucien knew Anya was watching.

"Do not interfere." he muttered lowly, to her, not the others.

"What?" Strider asked, confused.

"Never mind."

"Are you sure they're Hunters?" Paris asked.

"Yes. I saw their marks." Lucien replied.

"This could be a trap." Strider suggested.

"They did not know I was here, nor did they seem to be preparing for any type of battle. If I am wrong and it is indeed a trap, Isolde will know." Lucien replied.

"It's not a trap."

Isolde trickled into view, the shadows darting back into the night, leaving her crouched between Paris and Amun.

"And they're all below ground. I only found one above ground. Apparently they don't have anywhere to use the bathroom below ground." Isolde said, twirling a blood stained blade in her left hand. "Must suck dying with your pants around your ankles."

The men grimaced at the image. It wasn't a way they wanted to go out.

"How should we do this?" Paris asked to change the subject.

"We'll encircle their camp. On my signal, we'll rush the tunnels silently, locking them inside with no chance of escape. There are four entrances. I looked earlier. Paris, double with Strider and take the west. Gideon, the east, Isolde, double with Amun, take the north. I'll take south." Lucien ordered.

Each of them nodded, slipping away. Isolde, a slash of white against the dark compared to Amun, gathered enough shadows around her so that she couldn't be picked out among the foliage. Amun found a good hiding spot, signing for Isolde to join him. The girl crouched beside him, letting go of her cloak of shadows. Slowly, knowing they would be there for a little bit, Isolde checked each of her weapons. That done, she untied her hair and knotted it into a sloppy bun instead, so that it would stay out of grabbing range and out of her face.

By the time she finished that, Lucien appeared beside them and opened his mouth to speak.

"Two prisoners, got it." Isolde said, cutting him off.

Lucien tagged her with a hard look.

"Why do I even bother with you?" he asked.

"Because you love me." she replied just before he vanished.

Amun gave her a grin, white teeth flashing in the dark. Isolde returned it, because for one, it really had been funny, and two, she was well aware of the trouble Anya was giving him. If only he knew it was only going to get worse before it got better. Compared to what some of the other men would have to go through to get their girls, Lucien was getting off easy. Like poor Amun, or Paris, or Kane, or even Aeron. None of them were going to have it easy. Maddox had it the easiest and, in her opinion, Lucien did too.

Cronus or not.

Isolde then heard a whistle sound over the night and broke from cover with Amun, but where Amun headed for the north as ordered, Isolde drew shadows around her once more and took the south, since Lucien had chased Anya down into Gideon's tunnel. She slid down into the tunnels and hit the floor running. She would prove how useful she was.

Across the tunnels, Lucien took down the Hunters guarding the prisoners, with Anya's help. Paris joined him not long after the last one was dead, his face cut and bruised.

"My two are dead." he reported proudly.

Amun reported in next, giving Lucien a nod to show he had taken his down, but he didn't have Isolde with him. Strider and Gideon showed up behind him.

"I nailed three." Strider said, though he was limping. "Took a blade to the thigh, but victory is ours."

"I failed." Gideon said smugly.

"Where is Isolde?" Lucien asked.

"Right here."

Isolde rounded a corner further down, blood a crimson slash across the bridge of her nose and down her right cheek in a jagged line.

"Your face." Paris said, turning white at the sight.

"Yeah, I know. Lucien didn't take the south, so I did. There were three there and one of them caught me with the tip of his knife. I don't get why they keep aiming for the face. It stings like a bitch." Isolde replied, pressing a handkerchief to the cut. "But I killed all three."

"Guess the caves are interconnected." Paris said.

It was then they noticed Anya as she stepped up to Lucien's side.

"Hey Anya." Isolde greeted, raising a hand in a wave.

Anya grinned at her.

"Damn chica, they got you right in the face. Ain't right." Anya said shaking her head.

"Tell me about it. Next one to do it is going to get castrated." Isolde promised.

"Why the hell is she here? And why would a minor goddess fight Hun-"

"Hey! I'm/she's not minor." Anya and Isolde said at the same time.

Anya gave Isolde a grin.

"I knew I liked you." Anya told her.

"Feeling's mutual." Isolde assured her.

Lucien didn't have time for this. Death was tugging at him to collect the souls.

"I'll return. Isolde, behave." Lucien ordered.

With that he vanished, but not before he heard a "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Daddy." from Isolde. He couldn't help a grin on his face. He liked the sound of being called Daddy even if it was in a mocking tone.

Isolde shook her head, gave Anya a wink before she, too, vanished and turned to the two innocent men that had been held prisoner. Isolde kneeled before them and offered them a kind, soft smile.

"Hey there. Don't worry, I'm here to help if you'll let me see to your injuries." she told them.

"But your face! You should worry about that." the younger man said.

"It's fine. Just a scratch. See, it's already stopped bleeding." she told them before turning to her friends, who were watching her with surprise.

Apparently they hadn't expected her to be so kind to others. She gave the four of them a look before jerking her head to the side.

"Go find me some medical supplies." she told them.

Amun and Paris stayed with her while Gideon and Strider did as told. When they brought back some medical supplies, Isolde tended to the two men's injuries, using a light touch as she worked. She spoke to them in a gentle voice, her expression the softest they had seen it, ever.

"There you go, sir. All fixed up." Isolde told the old man, who gave her a smile.

"Thank you. You're a kind girl." he told her.

"Only to innocents, sir. My brothers here don't usually get such kindness from me." she joked, jerking her head towards the warriors, a smile on her face.

The warriors were surprised that she claimed them as family, but it was a pleasant surprise. Isolde sat back on her heels, letting the others talk to the two men, while she poked at the cut on her face.

"It's bad." Gideon told her, lowly.

Isolde smiled up at him.

"Yeah, I know. It's just annoying that people keep aiming for my eyes." she replied, as Paris talked to the men.

Isolde listened idly to the conversation, noticing when Lucien reappeared after escorting all the souls of the dead Hunters to hell.

"I don't understand. For what?" Paris asked the men.

"Artifacts. Priceless, godly, powerful. Each will lead the bearer closer to Pandora's box, helping him to finally procure it." the old man said.

"How will the artifacts help us find the box?" Lucien asked.

"Nice to have you back." Strider muttered.

"The woman?" Lucien asked.

"Still here." Gideon replied.

"Just up and disappeared, right after you. Why does she keep showing up?" Strider asked.

Lucien didn't answer, though Isolde could have if she really wanted to. She thought it better that Lucien figure out Anya's reasons for himself.

"Who are these men and how will those artifacts help us find the box?" Lucien asked.

"They are mortals who've devoted their lives to the study of mythology. And I don't know." Strider replied.

"Can we go home? Please." the younger man asked.

"Soon, very soon. Don't worry." Isolde promised him gently, giving him a soft smile.

"We just need to know what you told the Hunters." Lucien added, equally as gentle.

"Hunters?"

The two men were obviously confused.

"The men who held you prisoner." she clarified.

"Bastards," the younger man snapped. "You plan to kill us after we tell you?"

"No. Please. Look at you, then look at me. I don't do puny targets." Strider said with a laugh, making the old man gulp.

"Strider. Shut up and sit down." Isolde told him sternly.

Strider raised his hands in innocence. The blood on him ruined the look. Isolde gave him a stern look before turning back to the old man.

"Please tell them. I know some of the old lore about the four artifacts, myself. The All-seeing Eye, the Cloak of Invisibility, the Cage of Compulsion, and the Paring Rod. Right?" she asked.

The old man nodded, both shocked that she knew, and pleased to find such knowledge in one so young.

"Some legends say that all four belonged to Cronus-some say each belonged to a different Titan. Most accounts agree that when Zeus defeated Cronus, he-Zeus-scattered them throughout the world to prevent the former god king from using them again, if he ever managed to escape his prison. For it had been prophesied that the Titans would ultimately destroy the Greeks forevermore." the old man added, finishing the tale for Isolde.

"What else do you know about the four artifacts?" Lucien asked.

"The All-seeing Eye provides glimpses into the otherworld, illuminating the right path. The Cloak shields the wearer from prying eyes. The Rod may part the ocean, though that is widely disputed-"

"Mostly it stores souls and powers." Isolde said, cutting in. "Or so I've heard."

The younger man, who had been talking, looked at her, but continued with the story.

"And the Cage enslaves whoever is locked inside. Like we said earlier, all four are needed to find and win the box, or so the legend goes, but we don't know why."

"And where are these artifacts now?" Paris asked.

"Again, we don't know. We've been looking for them a long time and never found any indication they truly existed." the old man said.

"That's why those bastards brought us here. To help them hunt for clues." the younger man said.

"Had they found anything?" Lucien asked.

"No. And they were more frustrated by the day. They have men everywhere, all over the world, searching. Much as I might wish otherwise, I seriously doubt there's anything to find. If there were, we would have found it by now." the younger man answered.

"Not necessarily." Isolde said idly.

Before either of the men could say anything to her, Lucien broke in.

"That is all you know?"

Both men nodded.

"We are grateful for this information. Let's get you home now." Lucien said, taking hold of their wrist.

"Our house is in Athens. We live together, and we can find our own way." the younger man said, his father, on the other hand, all too grateful.

"Thank you. Are you-one of them? The immortals? You disappeared earlier and the girl's face is almost healed." the old man said, looking at Isolde's face.

None of them answered.

"Give me the address, I will take you there." Lucien said.

Isolde watched as Lucien vanished. She pushed herself to her feet and found Paris cupping her chin and tilting her chin up to make her look at him. The thumb of his other hand ran over the cut across her face.

"Thank the gods it's healing. You need to be more careful." he told her.

"I know. But my healing capabilities are speeding up. I'm healing faster." she said.

"And coming up with more abilities." Paris added.

"What can I say...I'm full of surprises."

"Well do us a favor and slow down on the changes." Paris told her.

"Now what fun would that be?"

-0-0-0-0-

The next two days Lucien couldn't get rid of Isolde. The girl stuck to him like glue, following him around the ruins like she was attached to him by an invisible lease. The others started making comments that he was a mother duck and she was his duckling. Not that the comments bothered Isolde. She just flipped them off and continued to follow him.

At the moment, while Lucien shifted through sand, she was perched above him, on top of a pillar that had fallen and caught on a tree. She was scanning the area at the moment. When Lucien had said something about her helping them she had replied, "I can lead you straight to what's hidden here, but if I did that then it would throw things off. You have to figure it out for yourselves.".

With how short his temper had been lately, Lucien wanted to strangle her.

Then he felt Anya's presence.

"Anya." he said.

No response. He called her again, but still she didn't answer.

"I know you're here." he called again.

Still nothing. Giving up for the time being, he bent to dust aside more sand. She decided then to appear.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked.

The sight of Anya nearly buckled him, but he knew he had to focus on the task at hand. That meant getting his head out of his pants and off Anya.

"Not many more hours of light, so..."

"So get lost? Is that what you're saying?" she asked.

"Yes."

Lucien turned from her, going back to work, well aware of Isolde's watchful eyes on them from above.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Not wise, giving me your back." Anya scolded.

"The other warriors are nearby. I'll let them worry about my back. And Isolde is watching." he told her.

Anya looked up, finding Isolde watching them from where she was reclining on a half fallen pillar. The girl gave her a wave and a smile, Anya waving back.

"She likes me, so I'm not concerned." Anya replied.

"Whether she likes you or not, attack me, who is like a father to her, and she will have your throat." Lucien replied.

And he knew it was true. Isolde seemed to be okay with Anya for the most part, but should the goddess ever really try to take his life, Isolde would come unglued, tearing her way through anything reap her revenge on Anya. She was that possessive of what she considered hers.

"Well, then. Aren't you going to rush me or something? I'm, like, at the top of your destruction list." Anya said, not too overly concerned about Isolde, who was relaxed on her perch.

"Later. Right now, I'm busy." he replied.

He heard her move, but refused to look at her. He knew exactly what he would do if he did and that wasn't something he wanted Isolde watching.

"Lucien."

Paris' voice rose over the temple wall between them.

"Yes." Lucien called back.

"I smell female. Your female."

"Stay where you are. All of you. Keep looking for something to point us in the right direction." Lucien called out.

Paris grumbled to himself, Isolde reclined back on her perch, soaking in the sun, and no reply came from Amun and Gideon.

"You lucky son of a bitch." Strider shouted.

"He would have to have a mother to be a son of a bitch, Strider." Isolde called back, to which there was laughter from Strider and Gideon.

"Guess they won't have your back, after all." Anya said. "So you guys are looking for artifacts, hmm?"

"Do not pretend ignorance. You sent us here." Lucien replied, continuing his search.

"This temple had been buried under the sea for thousands of years. The salt water probably washed all evidence of the past away." Anya said.

"Perhaps something remains."

"I thought your precious Ashlyn told you the box was guarded by Hydra." Anya sneered.

"Isolde would not leave us to play in the sand if there was not something here." Lucien said, believing, hoping, he was right.

Of course there was no reply from the girl above him, even though he knew she could hear him. Anya didn't say anything in reply to that.

"I love treasure hunts. They're so exciting." Anya said instead.

"You are not helping us." Lucien replied.

She was standing next to him after only a pause.

"Why can't I help? I've proven myself invaluable so far." she said.

Lucien dared to look up at her and had to stand when the desire sat in again. Her eyes instantly fell to his black, butterfly tattoo. She started to reach for it, but stopped herself, much to his disappointment. He actually wanted her to touch him.

"It's lovely." she said instead.

"Thank you. I hate it."

"Really? Why?"

"It is the mark of the demon. After Death was thrust inside my body, the tattoo simply appeared." he explained.

"I have one too." came Isolde's voice from above, making the two look up at her.

She was leaning back, sunglasses in place over her eyes. She had worn jean shorts and a crop top with a button-down shirt tied on over it again today. At the moment, the ice-blue, button-down shirt was off, draped over the pillar under her back. She had her arms stretched out over her head, soaking in as much of the sun as she could. From where they stood, they could just make out the glittery, silver butterfly, curving over her ribs.

"You branded yourself with that mark." Lucien retorted.

"And happily so. Tell him, Anya." Isolde replied.

"She's right. It's a babe magnet. Maybe I'll get one. A dagger or maybe even angel wings. Oh, oh. I know. I'll get a matching butterfly. We'll be twinkies!" Anya said happily.

The thought of a tattoo on Anya sent his head straight into the gutter and he gulped, trying to force it back.

"To answer your earlier question, you cannot help us because you will distract us from our purpose. I'm sorry." he told her.

"You're not sorry, but whatever. Now I won't tell you where the box is."

Lucien grabbed her by the arms. She latched onto his wrist, holding him in place.

"You know where it is?" he asked.

"Would you stop trying to kill me if I did?"

"No."

Anya stomped her foot in annoyance.

"I don't even know why I'm bothering with you." she said.

"You said that before."

"Well, it's important enough to be mentioned twice."

"Why are you here, Anya?" he asked with a sigh.

"None of your business, Flowers."

"Trying to butter me up some more?"

"You're a real pain in the ass, you know that?"

Lucien cast a single glance towards Isolde, who looked like she was dozing off, before jerking Anya into his body.

"So are you. You are driving me insane." he told her.

"Boo fucking hoo. You're driving me insane."

Lucien shook her in reply and she moaned, her anger washing away.

"Mmm. Must be my lucky day. You have another erection." Anya said.

Out of the comer of his eyes, Lucien saw Isolde clamp her hand over her ears. He forced his focus on Anya.

"What do you know about the box, Anya?" he asked.

"Confession. I don't know where it is, but I do know you'll never find it." she said.

"Why not?"

"Even the gods don't know where it is. If they did, it would have been found and put to use by now."

"What else do you know?"

Isolde, by this point, was humming low in her throat, blocking out the groan Anya made when she arched her hips into his, making Lucien grind his teeth.

"After the Titans defeated the Greeks...well, defeated most of the Greeks-some got away. Anyhoo, there was a nasty game of torture and interrogation. Cronus and his crew want those artifacts back. Zeus told him what had been done to them, and Cronus got his search on, but didn't have any luck." Anya answered.

"Why does Cronus want them?"

"Better question-who wouldn't want them? They're a great source of power. If they fell into the hands of his enemies, little Cronie could very well be defeated again. But if Cronus has them, he's pretty much assured of eternal success."

"But how do the artifacts lead to the box? Why would the gods even want the box? It houses demons, nothing more."

"Uh, wrong. Think about it. That box is made from the bones of the goddess oppression. It can suck the spirit out of anything. With Tartarus falling to pieces and Cronus having to use his soldiers to keep the Greeks locked inside, the box would be the perfect solution, a home for his enemies and your demons. What better revenge? The gods that caused him trouble locked away with the demons that caused them trouble."

Lucien stiffened, red coloring his vision. Death hated the box, hated the darkness and scream it had found inside. The demon would never allow itself to be placed back into the box. It would rather wander the world crazed and out of its mind, having destroyed Lucien, first. Lucien had no doubt about that at all.

"You look ready for a battle, Flowers. Want to fight me? Huh, huh, please?" Anya asked.

Instead of answering that, Lucien released her and tried to back away. Not that she would let him. She kept her grip on his wrist, not letting him get far from her.

"Why doesn't Cronus simply kill the Greeks?" Lucien asked.

"You've spent some time with the gods, right?"

"Long ago."

Anya released him then, but they didn't back apart, just stepped closer together.

"They're obsessed with their amusements, you could say. That, and they live by a code of revenge. Zeus will not suffer as Cronus has suffered if he's dead. And Cronus would have no one to brag about his victories to, no one to taunt, no one to challenge him, without Zeus."

"Oh yes he will." came Isolde's voice, but she was back to humming, her hands pressed to her ears when the two looked up at her.

Anya simply shook her head and turned back to Lucien.

"Why isn't Cronus here, searching?" Lucien asked.

"Why should he? You're doing all the work for him." Anya replied with a grin.

Which meant that Cronus' threat to hurt his friends was bull since he would not want Lucien and the others dead. It gave Lucien a little time to think about what to do with his order. He wanted to grin about that but he knew that Cronus would snatch whatever artifacts he managed to find unless he could find a way to hide them. But, he had to find a way, right? Isolde said they would find the box. It was just a matter of thinking of a way.

"How do the Cage and Rod, Eye and Cloak lead to the box?" he asked.

"Now that, I don't know. Maybe they're like a key or map, and point a person in the right direction. So what are we going to do, you and I?" she asked, her voice breathless after having brushed against him.

"I do not know."

"What do you want to do?"

"Continue my search of the temple." he lied.

Anya stepped away from him then, eyes narrowing.

"You were using me for information, huh? Leading me on, looking at me as if you wanted me, but it was only to get me to spill my knowledge." she accused.

"Yes." he lied.

Her expression fell and he felt shame slam into his chest. If Isolde had seen, she would have kicked him in the back of the knee and slammed a punch into his eye when he hit his knees.

"You rebuff me, fine. You think you're better than me, whatever. But you know what? You're not. You're sitting back, doing nothing as the gods pull your strings. I, at least, am trying to fight them." Anya snapped at him.

"Anya-"

"What are you going to do when your little friend Aeron escapes that dungeon and slaughters the human girl Danika and her family? Still nothing? When he comes to his senses, his life will be forever ruined because of his actions. And you'll have helped him. You'll have taken their souls to heaven even though their lives were cut short."

Self-hatred filled him as he realized she was right. This whole time Cronus had been pulling his strings and he had let him, hadn't tried to get out of that web of puppet strings. But Isolde knew a way to break the curse. Surely she would not allow Aeron such a fate. Surely she loved him as she did the others, as they did her. Lucien glanced up at the girl. She had crossed her legs and was bouncing one foot in time with her humming.

Then again, she wasn't helping. Not in finding the artifacts, not in finding a way to break Aeron's curse, not in anything. He felt a flash of anger towards the girl, rising his chest. Did she really care about any of them? At all? Lucien caught himself, realizing with horror that he had just doubted her again when she had done nothing but help them from the beginning. He had promised her that he trusted her and he was doubting her again.

But I should, he thought.

He forced himself to drop the line of thought and turned back to Anya. He would deal with it later.

"Perhaps the women are not innocent. Perhaps there is a good reason Danika and her family were chosen for extermination." Lucien said, even while know it wasn't true.

"You're right about that. There is a reason they were chosen." Anya replied.

"Tell me."

"Figure it out on your own, asshole. I think I've told you enough."

Between his doubt in Isolde and the shame of having hurt Anya, Lucien turned from Anya, unable to continue looking at her.

"At least tell me if I'm wasting my time looking for direction here." he said.

"You're not wasting your time here. Your little girl up there told you that."

"Thank you for that. What-"

"Nope. No more questions; I'm not telling you what to look for and I'm not telling you how to find it. Even though that thank you was pretty damn awesome." Anya said sarcastically.

"You're welcome."

Anya stepped back in front of him and leaned against another column.

"Let's get back on track. How long before you start trying to murder me again?" she asked.

Shame spiked through him once more. It would basically be murder. Nothing else. Instead of facing her, he bent to resume his searching through sand and rock.

"I do not know." he replied.

"Won't it piss off Cronie Wonie if you wait too long?"

"He did not give me a deadline."

"Maybe we could, like, discuss this again in a hundred years."

Her reply was a snort from Lucien.

"That's not gonna work for you, then? You're all booked up?" she asked.

"Something like that."

"What about tomorrow? You free?"

"I am booked for the next few weeks."

"And you can't squeeze in a fight with me?"

"Sorry."

"I'm starting to think you aren't taking this killing business seriously." she remarked.

"Oh, I am serious about it. Do not worry."

She sighed then, sounding mournful.

"What about scheduling time to make out? Can you do that?"

The image that popped into his head was enough to cause his body to harden. He was glad Isolde wasn't watching him anymore.

"Sorry. Not that, either." he told her.

She shrugged in an indifferent way, but her eyes betrayed her hurt. She looked down at her feet as she kicked a rock.

"Don't be surprised if I sneak up on you and take your head." she told him.

"Thank you for the warning."

"My pleasure. Shit!"

Lucien went for a weapon when he heard her curse.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

"I was looking at my feet."

"And that is bad?"

"That's horrible! The worst thing ever. I never look at my feet."

Lucien looked at her feet then. He could see her toes because of her sandals and saw that the nails were painted a red color.

"I think they are adorable." he said and quickly added, "Perhaps I will make time in my schedule to sneak up on you."

"You are so cute, thinking you have that kind of skill." she replied, a grin lifting her lips. "Maybe I'll look for those artifacts, too. If I find them, I might lock you inside that cage. Then you'd have to be nice to me."

Before he could reply, she gave him a wave and vanish, leaving him to his thoughts. With her gone, Lucien's thoughts returned to Isolde and her true motives for denying to help them. He had promised to trust her, not to doubt her, but he couldn't help it now that he thought about it. Almost everything Isolde did was questionable. Lucien sat back on his heels too look up at her again. The foot was still bobbing and she was still humming but her hands were no longer pressed to her ears, but folded under her head.

That was it. Tonight, when they got back to their temporary home, he was going to question her and there would be no denying him this time. She would answer him.

For the rest of the day, Lucien fumed over the idea and when they got home, Isolde announced she was going to shower before cooking. She only got half way across the living room when Lucien grabbed her arm, none too gently, and spun her around.

"Lucien?" she asked, shocked, as she looked up at him.

"Enough playing games, Isolde. I want answers. You are well aware that time it ticking for us, for Aeron, and yet you refuse to tell us anything. Is this a game to you?" he asked, harshly.

Isolde's jaw dropped in shock, the others freezing on the spot out of surprise. None of them had expected this from Lucien. Sabin, yes, but not Lucien. Lucien had been completely captivated by his adopted daughter. For him to now doubt her so seriously, to be so angry in that doubt, it was shocking.

"I'm not playing a game." she replied.

Lucien gave her a shake, not willing to hear it.

"With every day that passes, Aeron loses himself farther into his blood lust. Every day we get closer to someone else, Hunters or the gods, finding the artifacts and the box and using them against us. The only ones that would suffer though, would be us, because you are not like us. If you are only here to play games with us, then stop." Lucien told her.

"You don't know anything!" she snapped at him. "I've done nothing but help you. Everything I do is to help you."

"Then tell me what I want to know. Prove it." he growled.

"What happened to you promising to trust me, huh!?" she sneered in reply. "Was that a lie? Are you going to start lying to me too!?"

"No. We do not have time for this." he replied.

"I know what the fuck you have, Lucien! I'm not a damn idiot!"

Isolde's hands fisted, her gaze fierce as she glared up at him. It was starting to inch towards crimson, the blue edges thinning more by the second. But Lucien didn't care. He need his answers and he wasn't going to let her continue to tug him about, just like Cronus was.

"Then tell me, damn it. If you really care then you would be telling us exactly what to do, instead of leaving us to guess. The longer you play us like this the closer Aeron gets to giving in. And when he kills those women it will ruin him. It will ruin all of us to see him that way. I am growing tired of people tugging on our strings like we are puppets. I do not need you to do it as well." Lucien told her.

"Then hate me!"

The reply sent a shock straight through Lucien. He saw the emotions play on her face. Guilt weighted heavily in her eyes, acceptance of that guilt and his accusations following it. Insecurity and confidence waged war in her eyes, but insecurity won out in the end and with it came pride and stubbornness at not backing down, and finally courage to face this head on, her confidence returning. It was all a fast process, but the whole time there was hurt and anger at that hurt. He remembered she had said once that she hated feeling hurt.

"If you doubt me that much, think I'm playing you like some stupid ass game, then hate me! Everything I've done is to help you because in the waiting, in the searching you're doing, is things you have to learn for yourself! I can't tell you that stuff. If I did, you would lose what is to be truly important you to in the future. Each of you has a great treasure to gain in the future, but you won't get it if I just spill my guts every time something gets hard for you! So go right ahead and hate me for it." Isolde said, slapping his hand off her arm.

Her eyes flashed with a mix of anger, stung pride, insecurity, guilt, hurt, and an acceptance that all of that was what she deserved. An acceptance that made both man and demon inwardly flinch. It broke Lucien's heart to see it, his anger draining away with each word she spoke. Even Death whimpered, hiding in the back of his mind. What really slayed him was the wet shine that her eyes were acquiring.

She was close to tears.

She took a step back from him, fighting those tears back with sheer will power.

"Go ahead and hate me. I'm used to it by now."

With that she turned on her heel and stormed away.

"Isolde-"

Lucien was cut off as shadows jumped up to swallow Isolde whole. She vanished from sight. Not just visibly vanished. Lucien could not sense her at all, nor could Death. She was no longer in the house, having used her new shadow ability to transport herself away. Lucien felt his heart ache and shatter. Her voice on that last sentence had slayed him. He could have sworn he heard the last bit of her heart that remained untouched, shattering.

Fist suddenly grabbed him by the front of his shirt, yanking him around until he faced Paris. A very livid Paris.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!? You know she listens to your opinion with complete faith. She takes your opinion of her to heart and you have to go and accuse her of playing us. She's not a Hunter, Lucien! She has no reason to play us." Paris growled.

"I know that." Lucien replied.

"Oh really? Then why the hell did you say that to her? You know what, I don't care. Go find her." Paris snapped, shoving Lucien away from him.

Lucien didn't think Isolde would want to see him, but didn't argue with Paris. He slipped from the normal realm but could find no trace of her spiritual trail. He could see the array of blues, red, and various other colors that made up her spiritual trail where she had stood when talking to him, but as she walked away and had vanished into shadows, so did her trail. He found only a dark void where she had vanished. He wouldn't be able to follow her.

Lucien reappeared, the four other warriors whipping around to look at him.

"Where is she?" Paris asked.

"I cannot follow her when she uses her shadow ability to transport herself. The trail ends in darkness." Lucien replied.

Paris cursed darkly. There was no telling where Isolde had gone. They knew it had to be nearby because she had said, herself, that she could only transport short distances. The five warriors weaponed up and went in search of her. No matter where they searched, they could not find her. When they returned to the house, they found their dinner made and sitting on the table. Paris flew into Isolde's room, finding her discarded clothes on the floor and hearing her shower running.

She was home.

Leaving her to finish her shower, they went to eat. Isolde never joined them and when they checked on her later, she was in bed. Lucien knew he would have to apologize to her in the morning. Lucien flipped off her lights and closed the door.

Isolde didn't move until she was sure they were gone. Shifting, she dragged her pillow into a tight grip, burying her face into it. She had thought she had grown numb to this, that she could no longer be hurt this way. Yet here she lay, her chest aching with the force of her hurt. Her insecurity, something she had grown up with her whole life, had only increased with Lucien accusations. She had thought he trusted her, that he cared about her, that she had finally found a father figure worth having, and he had crushed what was left of her heart.

With the increase of her insecurity came that annoying little voice in the back of her head whispering all her insecurities into her mental ears, as well as a horrible ache right over her heart. And she had thought that no one could ever hurt her again. Just as she had thought that her tear ducts had dried up years ago. She had not shed a single tear in years, but she could feel the burn at the back of her throat from built up, unshed tears. Isolde curled in around her pillow, emotion threatening to swallow her whole.

She cried herself to sleep that night.


	14. Rebellious Stage

Author's Note: I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or the characters.

Chapter 14 Rebellious Stage

For the next week Isolde was gone by the time the others got up, leaving them to search the temple without her. She refused to eat, had their breakfast made before they got up and had their dinner waiting for them when they got home, and ignored Lucien. Lucien in turn, ignored Anya for the most part. Anya noticed the absence of the girl and the bad mood it put Lucien in.

Hoping to figure out what was going on, Anya flashed herself into their temporary house. She found Isolde, dressed only a pair of grey boy shorts and a black tank top, sitting on her bed, her knees drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped around them, and fiddling with a ring on her left hand.

The girl looked awful. There were dark circles under her eyes, her hair was a tangled mess around her, and her nose was red. She looked like she had entertained a long cry. Anya felt her heart go out to the girl, to this girl who had sided with her and defended her against Lucien and his warriors. Anya didn't know this girl, yet she had befriended her as if she knew everything about Anya. Naturally she couldn't help but want to help Isolde.

"Hey chica."

Isolde's eyes swung up, landing on Anya. There was no jolt of surprise, no shock at the goddess's appearance in her room.

"Oh. Hey Anya. I'm surprised you're here instead of bugging Lucien." Isolde replied.

Anya approached, until she could perch herself on the edge of Isolde's bed.

"Yeah, well. I decided to make him sweat over my absence." Anya said, hoping for a smile and not getting it. "Alright, what's up, girlie?"

Isolde heaved a sigh. She was quiet for a heartbeat before she told Anya about what had happened with Lucien and everything he had said. Anya stared at Isolde, knowing exactly what had brought it about. Lucien must have gotten it in his head that Isolde wasn't honestly trying to help him after Anya had gone off on him about letting Cronus pull him about. It had obviously hurt Isolde, though Anya didn't know what Isolde could possibly know to make him insist she tell him.

"How can he expect you to tell him things you don't know?" Anya asked.

"But I do know, Anya. I know the past, present, and future. I know feelings and thoughts, events to happen, and so on."

Anya took a moment to take that in. If she knew all that...Anya nearly choked.

"Then you know-"

"Yeah, I know how you feel about Lucien. As well as your past, and your curse, everything. Don't worry, I'm going to tell his dumbass self a thing." Isolde replied.

Anya stared at Isolde as she fiddled with the ring on her hand. So she knew everything about her. That explained why Isolde defended her and why she was always relaxed with Anya around. She knew Anya, knew what drove her and accepted it all without a second thought. It was nice, great really, to have that kind of acceptance from someone. Anya was sure she found a good friend in Isolde. Especially since the girl knew all of this and had refused to say a word to Lucien, deciding it was Anya's to tell, not hers.

"Thanks, chica."

This did get a smile from Isolde, if only a small one.

"Well, if you know, why not tell him?" Anya asked.

"You're a goddess, Anya, maybe you'll understand." Isolde said, turning to face Anya, sitting cross legged.

It was then that Anya caught sight of a tattoo, a new one by the look of the red skin around it, which spread over her left breast bone, just above her heart. A butterfly, exactly like the one on Lucien's chest, stretched wings of a bright, glittery orange from the curve of her left shoulder, to her collar bone, and down under the neck line of her shirt.

"Nice tat." Anya said.

Isolde's hand flew up to the orange butterfly. Finger tips brushed lightly over the butterfly, before her hand dropped back into her lap.

"Thanks. It's new."

"I can tell. Now spill."

Isolde heaved another sigh, running a hand through her hair and wincing when her finger snagged on tangles.

"First, we need to get you cleaned up. It'll make you feel better." Anya said, taking Isolde's hand.

Isolde next found herself in Anya's beach house.

"Wow. Nice crib." Isolde said, looking around.

"Thanks!"

Anya dragged Isolde to the bathroom and pushed her inside.

"Take a shower. I'll have something for you to wear when you get out." Anya told her.

The door closed before Isolde could argue. Heaving a sigh, Isolde just did as told. It was best to just not argue with the goddess. And she really could have used a shower anyway. Isolde basked in the warm water gratefully, and washed her hair. When she stepped out of the shower, she found a fluffy, white towel, a soft, blue robe, and a pair of silver, low slung, undergarments. Isolde toweled herself dry, slipped into the underwear and strapless bra, and wrapped the robe around herself.

Anya was shifting through clothes when Isolde left the bathroom. She looked up when Isolde closed the door.

"Hey, looking better already. Here, put this on and then I'll do your make-up." Anya offered, shoving clothes into her hands.

"I don't really wear make-up. I don't like the feeling of having all that junk caked on my face." Isolde said.

"That's because you haven't had an Anya make-over before. Get dressed." Anya told her.

Isolde discarded the robe and pulled on the one-piece, strapless outfit. It zipped in the back, had sides made of nearly see-through mess, clung to her like a second skin, and was a deep, ruby red. The shorts of the outfit ended just below the curve of her butt and there were black butterfly designs dancing across it. Isolde twisted to look at the outfit.

"I like this. A lot. Where'd you steal it from?" Isolde asked.

"Who says I stole it?"

Isolde cocked an eyebrow at Anya, who grinned in reply.

"You know me so well. There was this cute little shop in London. That was on display. I took a guess at your size." Anya said.

"Well your guess was spot on." Isolde replied.

"Here, put these on too."

Anya handed over a pair of black leather, spike heeled boots that laced all the way up with red laces and stopped about mid-thigh. She helped Isolde to lace them, ignoring the weapons strapped to Isolde's legs. Anya added in silver bracelets and ruby and silver, tear drop, dangling earrings as well, forgoing gold since Isolde didn't like gold.

"Alright, now for hair and make-up." Anya said with a clap, ushering Isolde to a chair in front of the vanity. "I love these streaks. So rebellious."

"In my house they were. My father nearly shaved me bald when he saw them." Isolde replied as Anya brushed out her hair, stopping to run fingers over the tattoo on her nape as well as the one between her shoulder blades.

"What stopped him?"

"My foot heel to his knee cap."

Anya cheered at that. Isolde wished her mother had been that supportive of Isolde's need to defend herself against her father. Would have made life a lot easier.

"Had daddy issues?" Anya asked.

"I had family issues. Both of my parents hated me. Told me on a regular bases and beat the shit out of me when I so much as looked up from the ground. Hell, they would do it for me just breathing."

Anya looked at Isolde's face in the mirror. The girl's eyes were set on her lap as Anya worked at styling her natural waves and curls.

"You got them back for it, right?" Anya asked.

"Yeah, I did. I have my pride."

"Good. They deserve it. Ain't nothing wrong with you. They obviously didn't know what awesomeness they had."

That finally got a smile out of Isolde and Anya inwardly cheered. It was about time. The girl had some serious confidence issues that needed to be addressed. She needed some good father and mother figures in her life. Lucien, at the moment, was failing.

"Hey, you want to hear something my mom use to tell me." Anya offered.

"I think I already know, but yeah, I could use some wise words."

Anya grinned, liking the girl more and more. She focused on pulling Isolde's long mass of hair up into a high pony tail, leaving a bit hanging on either side of her face. Anya fluffed the curls and deemed it done, turning to kneel in front of Isolde to start make-up.

"My mom had told me that whatever I do, however I act, others would judge me harshly, so would the world, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Cool. Well she told me that we all must be true to our own nature. Acting as anyone other than yourself merely brings you pain and makes you appear ashamed of who and what you are. Others will feed off that shame, and soon it will be all that you are. Told me to be proud of who I was. The way I see it, you're a pretty chill chica. You sure as hell seem to have those warriors wrapped around your pinkie."

"Not completely. Sabin, I'm sure, hates me. He doesn't like how he knows nothing about me but I know everything about him. Strider and Gideon, I'm pretty sure, just want into my pants. Zane kind of avoids me, then again he avoid everyone. Cameo and I get along, and Amun seems okay with me. The others are wrapped, especially Paris. But I wonder about Lucien now."

Anya stopped in added a dusting of smoky eyeshadow to look at Isolde. The girl looked so miserable as she said that.

"You really do care about him." Anya said.

"I care about all of them. They've become the family I never had. Lucien really is the father I always wanted. Even if he's being a jackass." Isolde replied.

"So you're just going to forgive him?"

"It's a complicated feeling. I've always believed in forgiving those you care for, but I've never been the type to forgive and forget without some kind of revenge. Vengeance is a part of my nature."

Anya grinned. On that they were the same. This girl just might have a little chaos in her blood as well. She could have been Anya's sister, or maybe daughter since there was such a big age gap between them.

"Well then, give him hell." Anya told her, finishing up the make-up. "There we go. Take a look, girlie."

Anya moved, letting Isolde peer into the mirror. She didn't feel like she had make-up on but Anya had given her a smoky eye look that brought out the blue of her eyes, and had expertly lined both eyes with silver eye liner and painted Isolde's lips with a glittery pink. Isolde couldn't even see the dark circles under her eyes anymore.

"Damn! You're better than I thought you were and that was pretty damn good. You have to teach me to do make-up like you." Isolde said in wonder.

Anya beamed with pride.

"Can do, sugar cube. How about we go get something to eat, strunt our stuff, and then we can show those boys what their missing." Anya suggested.

"Sounds good to me."

-0-0-0-0-

Lucien, his mood still on the bad side since Isolde was refusing to so much as be in the same room as him, knew the moment Anya appeared.

"Go away, Anya. I am serious."

When she didn't reply, he repeated the order. She only materialized and sat on a boulder beside him.

"I said go away." he told her.

"Like I'm going to obey you. You aren't my daddy. Unless you want to be. 'Cause I've been a bad, naughty girl and I need a spanking."

"Anya. Please." he said with a groan.

Anya grinned, but she had another reason for being here at the moment.

"I talked to Isolde."

Lucien froze. He didn't look up at her, but he did freeze.

"She obviously cares about you so what the hell were you thinking?" she asked.

"That is not your business." he replied.

"Uh, yeah it is. Like it or not, Flowers, I like that girl and it pisses me off when you hurt her. Which, FYI, you did. She looked like she had been crying."

Lucien felt bad enough, but Anya's words sent a new wave of shame through him. He had tried to apologize to her, but she had avoided him at all turns. He had finally decided that giving her space and time would be the best idea. Obviously not.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Do you really care, or are you just asking, hoping you'll get back on her good side, so she won't tear you to pieces?"

"Of course I care! She is like a daughter to me." Lucien told her.

"Then why did you do it? She said you promised that you trusted her."

"I do trust her."

"Don't sound like it to me."

"I do. I am tired of being manipulated, was tired of her not answering and I lashed out at her without thinking." Lucien said finally.

"And what is to keep you doing it again the next time you're annoyed? From what she's told me, she's dealt with a lot of shit from her parents. And I mean a lot. Like getting the shit beat out of her on a daily bases, lot."

Lucien froze again. He had known Isolde's parents had been abusive to her. She had said as much, but he hadn't known it was that bad. Then there was the fact that where she wouldn't tell them what had happened with her parents, she had told Anya. Or at least had told her some of it.

"She told you?"

"Not all of it. I get the feeling there's a lot more to it, but yeah, she did. Bastards the both of them."

Silence stretched between as Lucien clenched and un-clenched his fist. He didn't want to hurt Isolde, didn't want to be the same as her parents. He knew he had messed up, damn it. He wanted to make it right.

"You get that you fucked up royally, right?" Anya asked.

"I do."

"Then fix it. She doesn't like being at odds with you."

"I know."

Lucien went back to work, deciding that he didn't care if she wanted to talk to him or not, he was going to put this right. He didn't want to be the cause of pain for Isolde. Anya watched him as he worked. Watch sweat roll down his back. She would have touched him then if Paris hadn't called out. Lucien told him to remain where he was, that she was his responsibility.

"Why not let your friends come over here and play with us?" she asked.

Finally he looked at her, even if it was a fleeting look.

"What are you wearing?" he managed to get out.

"A maid's uniform. You know, to help you dust." Anya replied, making his curse under his breath.

"Just as before, my friends are beyond the stone, and they will remain there, working. They do no need a distraction."

"Then wait until you see Isolde."

Lucien chanced a sharp look at her. But he didn't ask, didn't think he wanted to know, and went back to work.

"I remember this place in its prime. Before it was moved down to earth, we were taught here, the other deities and I. How to control our powers, how to act properly, blah, blah, blah." Anya remarked.

"I was never allowed inside. We went only where Zeus did, and he didn't choose to spend time here."

"A pity the place is so damaged now. You might have liked it."

"What did it look like?"

Lucien listened to her describe the place as he tossed rocks and pebbles over his shoulder. She told him about the rooms and when he questioned her farther about the alter room, she told him of the marble table and murals, the murals gaining his attention. He stood and gave her his full attention.

She told him about the murals. When she told him the murals didn't have anything to do with the box, he scrubbed a hand down his face. Again she wanted to touch him but didn't. Her eyes locked on to the butterfly tattoo, a black, larger version of the orange one on Isolde's breast bone.

"What thoughts tumble through your head?" Lucien asked.

"Naughty ones."

"You enjoy tormenting me, do you not?"

"Just a wee bit." Anya said, pinching her fingers together. "But don't worry-I'm not singling you out or anything. It's just a little quirk of mine, tormenting the men who want to kill me."

"Anya."

"What?"

Anya pulled out one of her favorite lollipops and tore the wrapper of before licking it and moaning. Lucien was in her face, ripping it free of her grip and throwing it to the ground the next second.

"Hey! That was uncalled for." she complained.

"Do not eat those things in front of me."

"Why?"

"Because."

"If you want one for yourself, just freaking ask me next time."

"I don't."

"Then-"

"No more talking. I must work."

Lucien went back to work, but she could tell he was fighting desire for her. Or at least she hoped that was the case. But asking him if that was so would have been fruitless. He never would have admitted it to her.

"You're wasting your time in that sand." she told him, deciding to help him a little.

"No more talking."

"Well you are."

"Disappear."

"Make me." she retorted.

He didn't reply, again. With a huff, she dropped to sit on a boulder.

"I want those artifacts as much as you do and your cold-shoulder treatment isn't helping our cause." she told him.

Lucien was at her side, knocking her off the boulder and pinning her to the ground in a second. She gratefully welcomed the close contact.

"Why do you want them?" he asked.

"Duh. Power."

"I thought we had covered this. You will have nothing to do with the artifacts." he replied, his voice cracking.

"Then you should have killed me. I've decided I want them really, really bad."

"No. I think you want to die. You are provoking me on purpose, while I have been giving you time to enjoy the last days of your life."

"Well, aren't you sweet. I'm just trying to survive, lover. And have a little fun while I'm at it." she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Aligning yourself with me will not save you." he replied.

"Why haven't you killed me, then? And don't give me that bullshit about letting me enjoy the last days of my life. You don't let other souls enjoy the last of their days. And aligning myself with you might not save me, but doing so with Isolde might. I like that girl, she's smart."

Lucien's expression darkened. He apparently didn't like the mere idea of Anya using him or Isolde for her own means.

"Perhaps I have spared you because you know something, something that can help me find the artifacts and thereby the box. Tell me." he replied.

"If I knew something, I would have gotten to them already, dumbass."

"Then you are no good to me."

Lucien raised a fist, but she knew it wasn't to strike her. It was to pull her soul from her body. She had seen him do it enough times to know what he was going to do. She knew she shouldn't have taunted him like that and could have kicked herself for it.

"I don't know where the artifacts are, but I can teach you more about the temple. How's that?" she said quickly.

"Go on." he replied with a nod.

Anya had a feeling that she had just been manipulated, the sneaky little devil. Not that it bothered her too awfully much. She started kneading his shoulder, working her way down his back as she talked, telling him about how the gods' powers were dependent on action and reaction. Sacrifice. Lucien remember Isolde saying something like that once. That she had said everything had a price, that everything required a sacrifice.

Anya ruined the moment by telling him she was thinking of another man when he asked what she was thinking about. Lucien stood then, tearing away from her. Anya could have screamed as she rose, brushing dirt from herself.

"Let us return to our previous conversation. Ashlyn had to sacrifice herself to save Maddox. Isolde once said that everything has a price, a sacrifice. What can I sacrifice?" Lucien said, spinning to study what was left of the altar room.

"Lucien, it's getting close to chow time." Strider called out suddenly.

"I just need a little more time." Lucien called back. "Anya? Sacrifice?"

"Are you asking if sacrifices were made here? Yes. So?"

"Blood sacrifices?"

"Yes. When the temple was moved to earth, blood sacrifices were made."

"And what did the patrons who came to this temple sacrifice, exactly? What did they make bleed?"

"They sacrificed their family members. Virgins mostly, those who were innocents. Would cut their throats and bleed them dry."

Lucien spun on the spot when he heard Isolde's voice.

And nearly fell over himself when he saw her.

He had seen some of the more provocative clothes Paris had bought for her, but nothing come close to the outfit she was wearing. Anya smiled proudly when she saw Lucien's expression at seeing the outfit. She walked over to Isolde and draped an arm around her shoulders. Isolde was still refusing to look at Lucien, even when Lucien's eyes locked in on the new tattoo peeking up over her left collar bone and shoulder.

He could talk to her later about what had happened, for now he had a feeling he was close to the answer she had been waiting for him to find.

"This is what's expected here? What's needed?" he asked.

"Not always. Sometimes blood freely offered by the one in need is more of a sacrifice than killing someone else and would have done the trick, but no one wanted to consider that. They would have had to hurt themselves, and most people would rather chop up a loved one and call it a noble act." Anya told him.

Lucien drew a dagger from his boot then and Anya backed away, taking Isolde with her.

"What, you thinking of sacrificing me now? Or Isolde?" she asked.

"You are neither a virgin nor a loved one and I could not kill Isolde even if I wished to." Lucien muttered.

Anya came to a grinding halt, Isolde latching a hand on her arm to hold her in place.

"I'm getting a little tired of you insults, Flowers. I've helped you today. More than you know. I helped you last week. I helped you a month ago." Anya said.

"You are right. I'm sorry. That was uncalled for, and I will not say such a thing again." Lucien said with a sigh of regret.

"Yes, well. What are you-"

Anya cut off shocked when Lucien sliced open both wrist. She rushed to his side, though Isolde, who wasn't shocked in the least, didn't move. Anya guessed the girl really did know what coming. That, or she had seen Lucien do something like this before.

"You're insane, Lucien. Absolutely insane." Anya told him.

"No. He's finally figured out what he has to do." Isolde replied lowly, hands on hips as she watched.

Anya didn't have time to question the other female before Lucien dropped to his knees with a roar. Isolde still didn't move from where she was standing. That didn't stop Anya from worrying even more even though Isolde's later of concern should have reassured her.

"Lucien. What's wrong?" Anya asked before he roared again and clutched his stomach.

"Lucien. Tell me what the hell is wrong!" Anya demanded.

Lucien opened his eyes to look up at her and she found both of his irises were suddenly blue. He stood to shaky legs and pulled from her grip, walking towards the temple's only remaining wall.

"I can see it." he said.

"What do you see?" Anya asked, realizing he was having a vision.

"I might have found something." Lucien called out to his friends, instead of answering her.

All four of his friends appeared quickly, spotting Lucien and Anya and focusing on Anya because of her outfit. They didn't say anything to her though.

"Why are you bleeding? And what the hell is she wearing?" Strider asked, directing a scowl at Anya as he pulled out a dagger.

Anya flipped him off.

"Does it really matter what she's wearing?" Isolde asked, stepping forward. "Put that dagger away. She didn't do anything to him."

Strider didn't have to put his dagger away. He dropped it when he caught sight of Isolde. All of the men froze. Isolde raised an eyebrow at them.

"Forget about what she's wearing, what are **you** wearing?" Strider asked, looking Isolde over.

"The outfit you'll be buried in if you don't get your eyes off my chest." Isolde replied.

Strider's eyes snapped up and, just for the fun of it, Isolde flipped him off, just as Anya had, a grin on her face.

"Anya is not to be handled in any way. She is mine and Isolde speaks the truth." Lucien told the warriors.

Smiling Anya gave the warriors each a pinkie wave, saying, "You hear that? I'm his, so you can all suck dirt".

"That's not what they want sucked, Anya." Isolde replied lowly, focusing her attention on Lucien.

Lucien gave Isolde a firm look, which she ignored.

"And you had better keep your hands to yourself, Anya, or you will lose them." Lucien told Anya.

"Please. Like your buddies could best me." Anya retorted.

The others ignored her, gathering around Lucien. Anya pushed her way through them, lifting daggers along the way. Isolde followed her, doing the same. Anya smiled like a proud mama, even if she wasn't Isolde's mother. None of the men noticed and let the two through without comment. Lucien pushed everyone out of his way to look at the wall once again.

"Lucien?" Strider asked.

"What do you see?" Paris asked.

"Waiting is fun." Gideon added in.

"Do you recall what the two mortal researchers told us about Zeus and the artifacts?" Lucien asked.

A string of yes rose from the others.

"They were mostly correct. I'm looking at a mural that seems to be alive. The images are shifting, revealing detail after detail. After Zeus imprisoned the Titans, he commanded Hydra to hide and guard their treasured artifacts. Hydra split herself into four fearsome beings which scattered, each beast guarding one relic." Lucien said.

"Oh, man. If Hydra's the guard, you boys are in trouble. She's a whack job, for sure. Two heads on one snakelike body-make that eight heads on four bodies, if Lucien's vision is accurate-and all those heads suffer from constant PMS." Anya said.

"But they'll only have to face two in order to obtain the artifacts. The other two will be gained through other, tougher means." Isolde added in.

"What kind of tougher means?" Strider asked.

"Let me know when you meet something that's a mix of cinnamon buns and red. Then you can answer that question yourself." Isolde told him, patting him on the chest.

Lucien continuing kept Strider from replying to that.

"Each serpent was to hide for eternity, never revealing her location again, even to the gods."

"How does this help us, then?" Strider asked.

"Amateur." Isolde said lowly, speaking Anya's thought.

Strider frowned at her, but her attention was locked on Lucien.

"Do you see any symbols?" Anya asked Lucien.

"Yes."

"Well, what are they? Zeus might not have wanted the other gods to know their location, but he would have made damn sure he could at least be pointed in the right direction if he so desired. In his glory days, when he stole whatever he wanted from whichever god he happened to want it from-it's the one thing I ever admired about him-he would hide them until the heat died down by using vision-symbols as treasure maps. He spelled them to change if the item was somehow moved." Anya said.

"You told us he told Cronus what had happened to them. You told us Cronus looked, but didn't find them." Lucien said.

"Doesn't mean he told Cronus the truth. Gods do lie. A lot." Isolde said.

"She's right. They're enemies, remember? Just tell me about the symbols already!" Anya added.

Lucien refused to answer, making the two females share a look.

"Fine. Don't tell me. I'll just leave the area and give you a chance to tell your boys. I totally will not remain here, invisible and eavesdropping and Isolde totally will not tell me." Anya said, both her and Isolde grinning.

Lucien growled at the both of them.

"Seriously, you know I'll find out eventually, even if she doesn't tell me, so stop wasting time. Besides, I'll save you a lot of steps trying to figure it out on your own. You need my help. Again. Admit it." Anya said.

"Isolde knows the answers and can tell me." Lucien told her.

"No she can't. I'm not talking to you." Isolde replied, her words hitting Lucien hard in the chest.

"Fine. We need your help. The first symbol has two lines edging down with a curved line weaving them together." Lucien said.

"South Africa." Anya said quickly.

"How do you know that?" Paris asked, moving up next to her and pinching her butt.

Anya slapped his hand away and moved to put Isolde between them.

"I'm smarter than you. That's how I know."

Paris stopped her from putting Isolde between them by gripping her wrist. Lucien stepped between them, snarling at the warrior as he ripped them apart.

"Fine. I get the message. No touchie." Paris said, stepping back.

It was then that he noticed his blade missing from his waist.

"Shit! My blade is gone."

The others looked from Lucien to Anya.

"What? You think I took it?" Anya asked.

"Mine is missing, too, but you can keep it. Think of me when you use it." Strider said, giving Anya a grin.

Anya smiled back, but Lucien snarled at him too.

"Actually, I took yours." Isolde told Strider.

"You already took my guns." Strider retorted.

"That was a month ago. Get over it. Besides...I've taken worse things from you before."

Strider gave her a questioning look, but Isolde wasn't sharing with him. He could ponder about that for the next couple of days if he wanted to. Isolde shivered then.

"Paris, please do something about your demon. I feel like I have something crawling all over my skin." Isolde said.

"Sorry." Paris told her.

Anya waved it all away.

"Get back to work, big boy. I know how you hate distractions." Anya told Lucien.

"The second symbol is a single, jagged line." Lucien said.

"That's the Arctic. Ah, those icy climes are bound to bring back memories of our first date. The one where you took a nice, refreshing dip, and I watched from the glacier. Remember? Maybe this is a sign we're meant to be BF's forever and ever. Is this a great moment for a huggsie, do you think?" Anya said.

"The third is a horizontal, curved line with a similar line growing out of it." Lucien said instead of answering.

"That's the States." Anya answered, taking that for a no.

"The last is a straight line that curves at the bottom, almost like the end of a machete."

"Egypt. You know what this means, don't you? More traveling, and more treasure hunting! Where are we going first? Huh, huh, huh?" Anya said.

"How do you know those locations?" Lucien asked.

"Maybe Zeus went around telling everyone about them and what they meant." Anya offered.

"Not going to work." Isolde told her lowly.

"How do you know?" Lucien asked again.

"I told you. I'm smart."

And her mother use to be Zeus' lover and the god had a big mouth. Isolde thought this but didn't share the information out loud. That could remain between her and Anya.

"And how do we know we can trust you?" Paris asked.

"Duh. You totally can't. But you need me, so I guess that plants you right between a rock and a very naughty hard place." Anya answered.

Lucien grabbed her arm, making her look at him.

"You are not going with us, Anya. Remove the thought from your mind now." he told her.

"Try and stop me. I dare you." Anya replied.

"You know I can. Stop you, that is."

Anya wasn't convinced, and from the look on Isolde's face, neither was she.

"Do I? I'm still standing here, alive and well, aren't I?" Anya replied.

Lucien's temper was close to snapping and that was easy to see. Isolde was sure that soon smoke would start curling from his nose, and maybe even his ears, and he was going to start spitting fire. Anya seemed to love it.

"Admit it. You wouldn't have known what the symbols meant without me. Isolde won't tell you. You need me." Anya said.

"You could be lying." Lucien said.

"Waste time researching, then. What do I care? I can find the Hydras while you sit at a computer. I'll gather the artifacts and locate the box, and I'll do it before you and your Testosterone Squad have even booked a flight, and I'll take loyal little Isolde with me. At least she knows how to have fun." Anya said, slinging an arm around Isolde's shoulders.

All four warriors growled at Anya.

"What? Touchy subject?" Anya asked, all innocence.

"Seriously, think about it. Would Isolde back me up if I was lying to you? She's down right possessive of all of you and wouldn't let someone, even me, do that to you. She would of-how'd Lucien say it-gone for my throat." Anya added.

"You have a big mouth." Isolde said simply.

"But I'm not lying, am I, chica?" Anya asked.

"No."

"There you go." Anya said happily, releasing Isolde and clapping her hands.

Lucien ignored this conversation. He already knew how possessive Isolde could be. Sometimes it was downright inconvenient. Others it came in handy. Right now he wasn't sure which was which.

"We're splitting up. Paris, you and Gideon will travel to the States." Lucien said.

"Ah, man. Why am I stuck with Lies?" Paris griped.

"Biggest land mass, most people. It will be better to have two warriors searching there. Strider, you will go to South Africa. Amun, to Egypt. I will head to the Arctic. Isolde, you will go with Paris and Gideon." Lucien said.

"No."

Lucien turned his eyes to Isolde.

"His demon is about to drive me insane and I told you before we left Budapest that I'm sticking to you. You pissed me off, but I'm still sticking to you." Isolde told him.

"Isolde-"

"Fuck you. I said no."

Lucien stared in surprise at Isolde. Though she had refused to do a lot of things, she had never been quite so...unruly. It was a hell of a time for her to start going through a rebellious stage. And he had a good feeling that that was exactly what this was. Lucien heaved a sigh. Arguing with her when she was still obviously mad at him, was useless. And if she went with him, it would give him time to talk to her.

"Fine, you will come with me." he told her.

"You might want to wear a coat." Anya suggested helpfully.

"No shit? I thought I'd go in my bra and panties." Isolde replied.

"Well I did give you a sexy, silver pair that rode your hips just right." Anya commented.

This had all of the warriors but Lucien turning to look at Isolde. Isolde snapped her fingers and pointed up.

"Eyes are up here, boys." she told them.

Amun and Paris were the first to look away, but Gideon and Strider just grinned and continued to stare. Isolde punched Strider on the arm, since he was the closet, snapping him out of his mental un-dressing of her.

"I'll ring Sabin's cell, and tell him what we've found. Who knows? Maybe he'll discover something more at the Roman temple." Strider said.

"Do you know anything about that location, Anya, Isolde?" Lucien asked.

"Nothing I can share yet." Isolde answered.

"Only that it was called the Temple of the Unspoken Ones." Anya added.

"Unspoken Ones? I've heard of them." Gideon piped in.

"Parents used to threaten their unruly children with banishment to that doomed place. Maybe because screams could always be heard echoing from the walls." Anya said.

"With good reason, I assure you." Isolde said tartly, a shiver shaking her frame.

"Who are the Unspoken Ones?" Lucien asked.

"I never saw them. I kept my distance. And as the name proclaims, they were rarely spoke about outside of the occasional parental threat." Anya asked.

"Let's just say they aren't someone you want to be on the bad side of." Isolde added.

Lucien nodded and sighed.

"Call Sabin if you wish, but I plan to flash to Rome and tell him in person. I'll scout the temple while I'm there. My blood acted as a catalyst here. Perhaps it will there, as well." Lucien said.

"I'm going with you." Isolde said.

Lucien looked over at her, his eyes scanning her. It was bad enough that Strider and Gideon had seen Isolde dressed like that. He didn't want her going to Rome like that.

"You will change first." he told her.

"No fucking way. I like this outfit. You aren't my dad." Isolde retorted.

Okay, so he deserved that after what he had done.

"Where should we begin looking when we reach out destinations? Right now, all I know is that I'm supposed to go to the States. As you said, that's a big damn place. With lots of women." Paris said, a slow smile curving his lips.

"You need to get laid." Isolde remarked.

"You offering?" Paris replied.

"And if I was?"

Paris fell silent at the serious look on her face. He knew she wasn't really offering but the idea that she might have unsettled him and his demon both since, to them, Isolde was one woman that couldn't be touched. Strider threw an arm around Isolde's shoulders.

"Frustrated from his demon, huh? I can help and take you up on that offer." Strider said.

Isolde swatted his hand from her shoulder.

"Yeah, no thanks. If I ever, **ever** , slept with any of you, it would be Torin or Kane." Isolde replied, but didn't bother to explain it any further.

Lucien turned to Anya, ignoring the conversation for the moment. Later he would have a talk to her about what she had just said. The last thing he needed was for Isolde to sleep with Disease or Disaster. She was impressionable enough without the closer contact. Not to mention that sleeping with Torin would spread his disease to others. He would have to talk to her about all of that, but later.

"Where should they look?" he asked her.

All eyes turned to Anya.

"What? I'm just a dumb, annoying minor goddess. Not needed. Not wanted. Not-"

"You can go with me." Lucien said, cutting her off.

"Sorry. What'd you say? I couldn't hear you." Anya said, cupping a hand over her ear.

Isolde fought back a smile. She knew Anya was just trying to push Lucien's buttons. It was a fun thing to do and, had she not been so angry with him, Isolde would be doing it too. But she was angry with him, so she would leave Anya to do the poking.

"You can go with me." Lucien repeated, loudly and darkly.

"Are you going to try to kill me?" Anya asked, crossing her arms.

"You know I must, but I will give you fair warning before I do." he replied.

"Fair enough. I accept."

"Where should we look?" Paris asked.

"I don't have all the answers, you know." Anya replied.

"Anya." Lucien said in a warning tone.

"What? I don't! Just have Ashlyn follow any rumors about giant, ugly monsters. That'll probably be Hydra. Oh, and she likes water. So maybe follow rumors about giant ugly monsters spotted near water." Anya replied.

The men nodded and turned their conversation towards talking about supplies. Anya turned to Lucien then.

"We're going to have fun, you and I." she told him.

Lucien had been in the middle of talking to Strider and stopped talking completely when she said this. He turned to her but she blew him a kiss, linked an arm through Isolde's, told him she was taking "their child" for the night, and vanished with a muttering Isolde in tow.


	15. King of Asses

Author's Note: I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or the characters.

Chapter 15 King of Asses

Lucien went shopping for provisions then, picking up enough for him and Isolde, though he would need her to be able to get the clothes she would need. Unlike Paris and Torin, Lucien didn't know what sizes she wore. The whole time all he could think about was Anya. He didn't take a moment to call Maddox and have him tell Torin to search for possible sightings of Hydra. He got to the point where he didn't even bother trying to stop the thoughts. Fighting it didn't do any good. He kept asking himself where Anya was, which, in turn, had him wondering where Isolde was.

He then found himself wondering if Anya had finally tired of him, if Isolde was so angry with him that she was done with him, and the thought had him punching a wall. Whether or not that was true, he would soon have the two of them alone and then he could sort this all out.

Especially with Isolde.

There was a lot that had to be sorted out there. First and foremost being that he was not the man who called himself her father and he refused to be compared to a man who could raise his hand to his daughter. They were going to have to have a long talk, him and Isolde.

"You'll never find what you need here."

Lucien was snapped out of his thoughts by the sudden appearance of Anya on one side of him and Isolde on the other side. Both had their hair pulled back, Anya's in a knot at the base of her neck and Isolde's in the same high pony tail it had been in the last time he had seen her. Anya was wearing a fur-trimmed coat and knee-high boots with the same fur trim while Isolde was wearing a similar coat and boots with fuzzy earmuffs hanging around her neck.

"Where have you two been?" Lucien asked.

"Oh, here and there. Right, Isolde?" Anya said.

Isolde nodded.

"Why are you dressed like that?" he asked.

"'Cause we're going to Switzerland, silly, and it's cold there. You, my friend, are way underdressed." Anya told him.

"Anya, I-"

"There's only one hour's time difference, so this is the perfect time to go shopping in Z¨¹rich." Anya said, cutting him off.

"Why must we go to Z¨¹rich to shop?" he asked with a sigh.

"Because it's snowy and I look good in white. Race you there!"

With that, Anya reached around him, took Isolde's hand and the two vanished. Lucien looked around and knew a few people had noticed the two vanish, because jaws were hanging. Instead of trying to explain how the two females vanished, he, too, just disappeared. He followed the two's trail to Z¨¹rich and found them standing on a polished wooden deck. Isolde was pulling the earmuffs up, clapping them over her ears before yanking up her hood. She had her back to the two, giving them some semblance of privacy.

"What do you think?" Anya asked him.

"Exquisite."

She had probably meant the view from the deck, but Lucien preferred a closer view.

"I think so, too." Anya replied with a vulnerable smile on her lips.

Isolde vanished through an archway then, leaving them on the deck.

"Let's get this over with." Lucien said, his mood changing quickly.

"Over with? You are such a mood ruin-er. Well, I'm not going to let you spoil this for me. Or Isolde. Have you eaten lunch?" Anya asked.

"No."

"Food first, then. Shopping later."

"Anya, I think-"

Anya followed Isolde through the archway, ignoring whatever he was about to say. Lucien followed finding a vividly colored apartment beyond.

"This is yours, I presume. I expected something bigger." Lucien remarked.

"I keep a home everywhere and this is all the space I need. More...intimate this way. I haven't been to this one in a while because of you-know-who." Anya replied, easing herself onto a violet pillow next to a low wooden table piled with food.

Isolde was already sitting at the table and still had yet to say a word to him.

"Cronus?" Lucien questioned.

Anya nodded as Isolde dished out food onto three plates. Lucien focused on the food, finding chicken pot pie, freshly baked bread, and steaming vegetables.

"Sit." Anya told him.

He did as told as she started eating. The sheer domesticity of the scene made his chest ache. He could almost feel like a father sitting down to dinner with his wife and daughter. He had never experienced anything remotely domestic until Isolde had come to live in the fortress in Budapest, taking over cooking. Unless someone wanted to count Paris' awful attempts at cooking. That was something Lucien didn't miss. He would take Isolde's from-scratch meals, hands-down, every time.

"You never told me the real reason Cronus wants you dead." Lucien said to Anya.

"Not true. I told you I have something he wants." Anya replied, while Isolde quietly ate.

"Your body?"

Isolde snorted at his words and gave a shake of her head. She obviously thought he had poor taste in words.

"According to you, I give that to everyone. Are you going to eat or just watch me?" Anya retorted.

Lucien took a bite, liking the taste of it.

"Did you make this?" Lucien asked Anya. "Or did Isolde?"

"Gods, no. Neither of us did. I stole it." Anya said.

"Stole?" he asked, a grin on his face.

"Yes. I like it when you smile."

Isolde peered up at Lucien then, watching his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. It took all she had not to smile.

"Cronus. Why doesn't he seek you out and kill you himself? You are out in the open now. I'm sure he has been able to lock in on your location." Lucien said.

"He's an inter-heavenly man of mystery. No one knows why he does the things he does." Anya replied.

"And you have no guess?"

"Well, he's an idiot. There, that's my guess."

Lucien caught the twitch of Isolde's mouth and the small snort as she took another bite of her food, but she didn't say anything. He half expect lightning to strike, but nothing happened.

"This something he wants. Tell me what it is. Please. And for gods' sake, Anya, give me a straight answer for once." Lucien said.

"For once? I give you straight answer all the time." Anya complained, shaking her fork at him.

"Again, then."

"You want the truth, I'll tell you. But the information will cost you. We'll trade. A question for a question."

"Done. What do you have that Cronus wants?"

"I have a...a...damn it, Lucien. I have a key, okay. Happy now?"

"Yes. There. We have both answered one question."

"We both have no-Damn you! I did ask a question, didn't I? Happy now? Score one for you. Isolde you're supposed to be warning me about this kind of stuff." Anya said, turning to look at Isolde.

Isolde's eyes came up, a small grin twisting her mouth, but she went back to her eating, humming now under her breath. Anya scowled at her.

"You have a key. A key to what?" Lucien asked.

"That, I won't tell you."

"What does it open?"

"I'm done answering your questions. You don't play fair."

"Why don't you give it to him?"

"Because it's mine. Now hush it before I flash you to an alligator pit. You're ruining the meal I spent hours preparing." Anya retorted.

"You just told me you didn't cook it."

"I lied."

"A key will matter little when you are dead." Lucien said, unwilling to let the subject slide.

"Fuck you, Death."

She was mad. She only called him by his demon when she was mad. The rest of the time she used pet names. He preferred to have her call him by those then Death.

"I can't believe you are willing to die for a mere key." he said.

"It's not like any other key, and you don't have to kill me."

"I must."

"Whatever. I answered a few more of your questions, now answer a few for me."

"Very well. What would you like to know?"

Anya propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands. Isolde watched the two of them through the screen of her eyelashes.

"Have you every disobeyed a command from the gods?" Anya asked.

"No. But then, I was not ordered to do anything until the Titans won the heavens. The Greeks left us alone after bestowing Maddox's death-curse."

"Have you tried to disobey the Titans, at least?"

"Again, no. Not personally. But Aeron refused to kill those four women, and you have seen the results. Bloodlust has consumed him. He wants to kill everyone now. Even his friends. Maybe even himself. We had to lock him away, taking even more freedom than he lost when all of us were cursed with our demons. It's something we vowed never to do to each other."

The clicking of Isolde's fork stopped completely, making the two of them look at her. The girl was staring at her plate, guilt swimming in her eyes, but she quickly covered it, sat her fork down and got to her feet.

"Isolde?" Anya asked.

Without a word, Isolde walked out of the room, out the archway, where they could see her lean against the rail of the deck to stare out at the scenery. Anya heaved a sigh but turned back to Lucien.

"I understand. Losing your freedom is a punishment worse than death. Believe me or not, but Isolde does too."

"Yes."

Lucien looked at Anya. She had such a serious look on her face as she thought. She was probably thinking of her time locked away just as Isolde was probably thinking of her time trapped in her family's home. The anger he felt had him tightening his hands into fist.

"How long were you imprisoned?" Lucien asked.

"Seemed like forever and I believe ancient scrolls say a hundred years, but it was more like two." Anya replied.

"What did you do while locked away?"

"Think, pace, hurt. Talk to the man in the cell beside mine. He was a little cocky-" At this Isolde let out a curt laugh from outside."-but that was better than silence. Have you ever fought the demon of Death?"

That confused him.

"What do you mean? Fought it physically?" he asked.

"No. I know it can't leave your body unless you die or it's sucked out. I know it's trapped inside you and the two of you are one. But have you ever resisted its desire to take a soul?"

"Yes." he answered, tensing up.

"And? What happened?"

"If I do not escort a soul, its physical body suffers untold agony. More than any person should ever have to suffer. More than Fate intended." he said, tensing more.

"Hit a nerve, did I? There's a muscle ticking under your eye."

Instead of pressing him further, she ate her meal in silence. Isolde remained out on the deck. Anya called to her to rejoin them, but Isolde didn't move. Anya just shrugged and went back to eating. When she was done, she got to her feet.

"Want to make out a little or just jump straight into the shopping?" Anya asked.

"Shopping." he forced himself to say.

"You can leave your weapons here. Hunters never come up this way. Neutral territory and all." Anya said with a shrug.

"I do not remove my weapons. Ever." he told her.

Her eyes travelled over him then, as if she was picturing something naughty.

"Not even to shower?" she asked, putting that naught image in his head.

"Not even."

"Why, Lucy. That's totally barbaric. But it's something I'd like to witness firsthand." Anya said, rounding the table to whisper the last part into his ear.

Instead of grabbing her and kissing her, he got to his feet. Isolde returned to room then.

"You really know how to drag a party down." Anya said.

"Anya."

"No. Not a word. Let's get out of here." Anya said, going to the front door.

Isolde followed her, Anya linking her arm through hers and allowing Isolde to lean her head on her shoulder. They really looked like a sister pair or a mother-daughter pair.

"I'm waiting, Death."

Lucien tensed when he heard Cronus' voice, hot and angry. He could not see the god king anywhere but he had heard him, and Cronus wasn't happy.

"You have failed me, Death. Over and over again, you have failed me." Cronus said.

"I am sorry."

"Liar!" Cronus roared.

The single word was spoke so loudly, Lucien feared his eardrums would burst.

"You will not suffer for it, but your friends will. I'll start with Paris, sending him to a place where no women reside. I will prevent him from leaving and I will laugh as he weakens. I will laugh when he is forced to turn to other men for strength. And when I'm through with him, I'll look to Reyes." Cronus added.

"You would kill them, then? Set their demons free to roam the earth in a crazed frenzy? No mortal will bow before you once the demons are through wreaking their havoc." Lucien replied.

"Zeus might not have been able to protect the people from your demons, but I can. Do you wish to hear what I'll do to Reyes?"

"You would prevent him from hurting himself, I'm sure. Perhaps flood him with pleasure he is no longer equipped to handle."

"Do you dare mock me?" Cronus asked.

"No. Nor do I wish to do that with which you have charged me."

"I am aware of that, Death. I am also tired of waiting. Which of us do you think will emerge the victor and receive what he desires?"

"What if-Anya has something you crave. What if I procure it for you?" Lucien offered.

Cronus was silent for a moment, as if he was thinking this over. All Lucien got was tension seeping through from the god.

"I will allow you to try. If you fail in this, you will bring me her body. If you fail in that, I will not be so lenient. I will do everything I claimed and more. And I'll make you watch while I do it. Your dear Isolde is a very appealing female. Very spirited. It would be a joy to break her."

Lucien felt his blood run cold. Cronus was threatening to take Isolde, force her to bend for him, force her to do other things Lucien didn't want to consider. His anger threatened to white out his vision and send him into a rage, but he gripped it tightly and forced it back.

"Keep that in mind. Now go!"

With the snap from Cronus, a burst of wind shoved Lucien towards the door. Lucien went, trying not to growl at the god. He found Anya and Isolde, both alive and well, in the lobby. He had to get the key from Anya. It was the only way to save the both of them, to keep Anya alive. He didn't want to consider if he failed. He scanned the room, noted two men watching Anya and Isolde openly. Not that either of them noticed. Anya was tapping one foot, studying her nails, while Isolde watched the front door, keeping her eyes peeled, one hand hovering over a weapon hidden under her clothes.

Lucien experienced a rush of pride in Isolde, knowing she had picked up on some of the warrior skills he had tried to teach her.

Hissing at the men watching them as he passed, he headed for the two females. He didn't speak as he passed them and both instantly kicked into motion, falling into step beside him. Anya linked an arm with Isolde's as they walked.

"What do you want to buy first?" Anya asked.

Lucien wanted to ask about the key but knew Anya would talk about it unless he softened her up first. She had pretty much shut down all previous conversation about it.

"A coat would be nice." he said.

"Then a coat you shall have. I know the perfect place. Isolde needs gloves anyway." Anya said, linking her free hand with his and leading him and Isolde to the left.

They probably looked like a family, walking down the sidewalk as they were.

"In here." Anya tugged Lucien after them into a shop labelled Machen Teegeback.

"Warm Muffins?" he translated. "We just ate. And I thought we were shopping for a coat and gloves."

"This isn't a bakery, lover. It's an outlet. Now, don't you worry. Anya will dress you just right." Anya said, leading him past coats, gloves, hats, and other warm clothes.

Isolde released Anya to let her go through the store, throwing different colored coats at him, saying things like, "This one will match your eyes. Well, one of them anyway." and "This one will look great against your skin." and "Mmm, this one has easy access to my new favorite place through the pockets". Finally she gasped, "Oh, score! Look at this." and held up the male version of the coat she was wearing.

"We'll be twinkies while we're climbing glaciers and Isolde will be our little love child with the same coat in a different color!" Anya added.

Isolde shook her head from where she was locking at gloves, finally settling on a pair of black ones with grey fur lining.

"I only need one coat. Which do you-"

Lucien cut off as Anya flicked a glance at the cashier and stuffed a pair of gloves inside her jacket. Lucien frowned.

"What do you think you are doing?" he asked.

"Stealing."

"You were not teasing about the food, then. Are you short of funds?" he asked.

"Hardly. I'm loaded. Don't tell me the big bad demon is upset. 'Cause you shouldn't be. I'll pay them back another day, Sally Sunshine. Maybe."

"Return the gloves, Anya."

"No."

"Very well. I will pay for them."

Lucien dropped the coats piled in his arms and took the gloves from her before gathering what he needed. As he passed Isolde, he took the gloves from her hands to pay for those too. Isolde, who had been eyeing a pair of snow goggles. She looked up at him, but he didn't give her time to reply and went to the register, paying for the items. He gave the gloves back to Isolde once they were paid, Anya falling in beside her.

"I have to do it, okay?" Anya said as they headed for the door.

"Why?" Lucien asked, surprised.

"You have your compulsions and I have mine. I can either burn this place down or take a measly pair of gloves." Anya said.

Finally Lucien understood. She had her own dark nature to fight, just like him.

"I am sorry I took them away from you." he told her.

"No problem."

Carrying their bags, Lucien led Isolde out the door and waited for Anya to join them. Isolde took that time to blow warm air on her fingers which had started to turn red, trying to warm them a little before trying to work the gloves on. It would be hard to do with numb fingers. Lucien took hold of her hands, warming them between his own, like a father would for his child. Isolde didn't fight him. When they would bend again, he helped her slip the gloves on. Anya reappeared then, a smug smile on her face.

"I might have to dig through the ice as I search for the artifact. I need the proper tools. Where can I acquire them?" Lucien asked.

"Ugh. Digging will not be fun." Anya remarked, Isolde shrugging to show she didn't care.

"Fun is not the purpose of the trip." Lucien reminded her.

"Killjoy."

With that Anya withdrew a pair of black gloves from her pocket and ripped the tags off, pulling them on as she stared him in the eye.

"You stole them?" Lucien asked.

"That's what I like about you, sweetcakes. You're an observant kind of guy. But I'm not the only naughty girl, am I?" Anya asked, a grin twitching her lips as she looked at Isolde.

Lucien looked at Isolde as she pulled the goggles she had been looking at, out of her pocket and put them on, letting them hang around her neck, the tags already missing. She gave Anya a grin.

"Isolde." Lucien scolded.

"That my girl!" Anya said over him, giving Isolde a kiss on the forehead.

Lucien shook his head. Anya was becoming a bad influence on Isolde. Even if Anya had to steal, Isolde didn't. He was going to have to address this with Anya and Isolde both later.

"Tell me why you must steal to prevent yourself from burning a building. You hinted, I deduced, but I would like to hear firsthand." Lucien said, both women falling into step with him.

"Remember those wars Reyes mentioned that night at the club? Well, guess what? I did start them. When I first walked among mortals, I was insane with my need for disorder and my every movement seemed to spur them into fury. With each other, not me. Worse, I couldn't look at a torch without knocking it over. Sometimes I didn't even realize I'd done it until the flames were dancing at my feet and people were screaming. And those screams, oh, gods, those screams. They were so delicious to my ears. Like auditory ice cream. More and more, I wanted to hear them. Needed to hear them." Anya explained.

"Anarchy means to be without law. Perhaps, deep down, those screams represented the chaos your nature demands." Lucien suggested.

"Yes."

"The demon inside me is Death. For the longest time, it craved the absence of life, no matter what I had to do to accommodate that desire." Lucien told her.

"You really do understand. One day I caught myself reaching out, about to cut a chandelier from a ceiling just to hear the glass shatter and the people shriek, when a woman walked by. She was wearing a ring and the diamond winked in the light, brighter than any chandelier. Gods, I wanted that diamond. I followed her and stole it. The moment I slipped it on my finger, this grinding need inside me just...quieted somehow. I've been stealing ever since. Having another close to me, steal as well, helps. Makes me smile. Isolde here understands and accepts that." Anya said, linking an arm around Isolde and hugging her.

Lucien was silent as he watched the two. Isolde seemed to be the type of person that could naturally see and accept the bad around people, knowing there was good underneath it. She was a good friend for someone like Anya.

"You may steal from me anytime." Lucien told Anya. "Isolde already does, even if it is only weapons."

Anya rewarded him with a grin and a "thank you". Lucien tried to ask about the key then but couldn't make the words come out of his mouth.

"Have you spent much time in the Arctic?" he asked instead.

"A little. Oh, this is going to be fun! Well, aside from the digging part. Just the three of us, the two of us can snuggle up to keep warm, no worries about Hunters. I doubt any human could survive the cold for long. Now, come on. I don't want to walk anymore. It's a waste of time."

With that, Anya, Isolde with her, vanished. Lucien followed and found himself back in Greece, in the rented house. He dropped his bags, finding none of the other warriors home. Isolde left the two of them alone, retreating to her room to get her stuff together. Isolde removed the coat and boots, draping the coat over the post of her bed and removing her gloves and sliding them into the pockets of the coat. She sat on her bed to finish packing the things she would need for the trip to the Arctic.

She was folding clothes into a bag to be sent back to Budapest, when she heard the raised voices that announced the beginning of the fight between Anya and Lucien. Isolde grinned. Lucien deserved everything Anya was about to do to him. After making her feel like crap and all of his stubbornness, he was going to get off lightly in her opinion. When the voices vanished, Isolde slipped over to her door, her room next to Lucien's, and opened to door so she could listen. Sure enough she heard the two reappear in Lucien's room.

"Step in something?" she heard Anya asked.

"That, I did not mind. What I did mind was being hit by a cab, then landing on the lap of a naked man. With an erection, Anya. He had an erection." came Lucien's voice.

Isolde mouthed the words along with him, having to clamp a hand over her mouth to fight off a fit of giggles. She even curled in on herself, she was laughing so hard. When she had read the books that had been her all-time favorite part of Lucien's and Anya's book. When she had read it, she had rocked right out of her chair from laughter, literally rolling on the floor.

Like she was doing at the moment.

Just the mental image of straight lance Lucien landing on a naked man's lap, had her eyes watering from laughs that took extreme effort to keep silent. They had obviously forgotten all about her, as their fight went from Lucien's room to the living room, and back to Lucien's room. Shaking her head, Isolde returned to her packing.

One bag held her normal clothes, which would go back to Budapest. The other bag held all her new, Arctic cold ready clothes that she would be taking with her. Isolde stopped and patted herself down, checking that all of her weapons were in place under the one-piece outfit she had yet to change out of. Finding everything in place, she pulled her boots back on, grabbed her coat and the two bags.

She heard the front door open, heard Strider, and headed out into the living room. Sure enough, the place was trashed. Strider, Amun, and Gideon looked up at her as she entered the living room.

"Please tell me you didn't do this." Strider said, gesturing around him.

"Oh hell no. I don't have that loose of a grip on my temper." Isolde replied. "Lucien did it. You'll have to ask him why. Anyway, I need a favor."

Strider raised an eyebrow at her. Isolde held out her bag to go home to Buda.

"When grumpy pants in there gets down with his play time, can you have him flash this back to my room in Buda? I got some work to do before our trip to the Arctic." Isolde said.

Strider took the bag from her.

"I don't think he'd want you going wherever on your own." Strider remarked.

"Yeah? Well he can go fuck himself. I've never been in the habit of letting others tell me what to do and I'm not helpless. The sooner you figure that out, the less beatings you'll take along the way." Isolde told him, giving him a wink.

Strider grinned. Thankfully he hadn't taken it as a challenge. She really didn't want to destroy the house even more getting into a fight with him. Then again she was starting to wonder if he would ever take anything she said as a challenge. Defeat certainly didn't.

"He still won't like it." Strider told her.

"Oh? And you honestly care? What, going to try to keep me here like I'm a naughty child?" she asked.

Still nothing.

"There are three of us and one of you." Strider said, Gideon grinning at the idea.

Isolde snorted.

"I can do math, Strider, but I've had odds against me, my whole life. Not going to stop me now. Save yourself trouble because that's all you'll get. Sabin will hate me more if I claw out your eyes." Isolde joked, shaking her finger at him.

"You will totally do that." Gideon remarked.

"Hey, like he said, there's three of you and one of me. You out size me, outnumber me, and out muscle me. I'll go for whatever advantage I can get." Isolde replied.

"Are you challenging us?" Strider asked, actually looking eager at the idea of this challenge.

"I'm not stupid. You play dirty when you need to win a challenge. Playing dirty is my thing." Isolde said, turning and walking across the room. "If you ever feel like taking on a challenge, though, you know who to come to."

Isolde gave them a wave over her shoulder before being swallowed whole by her shadows. She had been working on distance when transporting herself with the shadows and only had to stop three times before she reached Anya's apartment in Switzerland. She stashed her bags in the living room and dropped to sit on the couch. Waiting. Isolde knew that not long after Anya showed up, so would Cronus. It didn't take long for Anya, dressed in Lucien's clothes, to appear. She jumped when she saw Isolde.

"Hey. Done playing with Lucien for now?" Isolde asked.

Anya heaved a relieved sigh when she saw it was just Isolde.

"How'd you get here?" he asked.

"I had to stop three times but I used my shadow jumping." Isolde replied.

Anya nodded, running a hand through her hair.

"Why are you here and not back in Greece?" Anya asked.

"I heard the fight. A naked man's lap, huh?"

Anya couldn't help but grin at that point.

"With an erection." Anya reminded her.

The two broke out in laughter. Having Isolde around actually made Anya feel better. She was actually grateful that Isolde had chosen her over staying with the men who were like her family. At least she knew she could count on Isolde as a friend.

"I'm going to go change." Anya said.

"Mind if I get something to drink?"

"Nah. Help yourself."

Isolde went into the kitchen, opening the fridge to pull out a bottle of water. Leaning against the counter, she opened the bottle and listened for Anya. Isolde knew any moment now, Cronus would appear. Isolde probably knew he was there before Anya, and went to the kitchen archway, hiding out of sight as she listened, her shadows gathering around her. She had found that when she hid in her shadows, no one, not god or otherwise, knew she was there.

"I want the All-key, Anya." she heard Cronus say.

""I want an eternity of peace, but we don't always get what we want. Do we?" Anya replied.

Isolde inwardly cheered Anya on and practically heard Cronus snap his teeth together. Isolde was away that Anya could take care of herself, but she was always willing to step in to mess with assholes like Cronus. It was a hobby of hers, even before she came to live in her favorite book.

"The key. Give it to me." Cronus ordered.

"We've covered this before, bossie baby. My answer hasn't changed." Anya replied.

There was silence except for the sound of soft footsteps. Isolde, her shadows thick around her, slipped into the living room, watching quietly as Cronus circled Anya.

"I have seen your interactions with Death." Cronus told her.

"So? What of it?" Anya asked.

"You like him."

"Again, so? I like a lot of men."

Isolde saw that for the lie it was. But she knew Anya well.

"Willingly give me the All-Key, and I will bind him to your side. He will be yours to command for all eternity." Cronus offered.

Isolde knew Anya wouldn't do that to Lucien. She constantly had the threat of her freedom being taken from her and wouldn't do that to another person. No matter how much she wanted him. Another thing Isolde like about Anya. She understood what freedom was.

"Nope. Sorry. I'd be tired of him within a week. Right now his attempts to kill me are amusing, and I'm enjoying toying with his affections, but...Why don't you just take the key from me? Why don't you kill me for it?" Anya asked.

"You would like that, wouldn't you?"

"Maybe a wee bit."

"I would like it a lot. Would save me a lot of time."

Both Anya and Cronus looked up as the shadows melted away from Isolde, exposing the girl who was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. Cronus went stiff, his dark eyes scoring her from head to toe. Isolde had a pretty good idea what was going through his head and he could kiss her ass because it wasn't going to happen. There was nothing in the world, in the heavens, that he could offer her that would change that.

"But he won't do that, won't take it from you because then it would render him powerless. Men like him can't stand to lose even an ounce of power." Isolde remarked.

"You dare speak to me that way?" he growled.

"Yeah, I do, because I speak the truth."

Anya gave Isolde a look to be quiet before stepping between her and Cronus.

"I'm not going to use it against you. Well, not again." Anya told him.

"As you said, we have covered this. You will." Cronus replied, his eyes still on Isolde.

"Only for my parents. Which means, only if you capture them again." Anya replied.

"I am unwilling to take your word. You are a known liar."

"That's the pot calling the kettle black." Isolde retorted.

Anya shot her another look.

"Look, we all three know you want Lucien to kill me, making him powerless while you keep your strength. The key will be up for grabs, but he'll be too weak to make a play for it, leaving the field wide open for you. I could tell him. Isolde could tell him. He might tell you to go fuck yourself then." Anya told him.

"I'd be willing to tell him that now." Isolde offered, but both of the gods ignored her.

"You do not believe that or you would have told him already." Cronus said.

"There's nothing stopping me."

Cronus fixed his eyes solely on Isolde once again as she pushed herself from the wall, her hands going to her hips as she cocked one to the side. His eyes followed the movement before returning to her face, where her eyes flashed a fierce warning at him.

"I love messing with guys like you. Fucking up your plans and being a real thorn in your side is a horrible hobby of mine, but I'm good at it. If I really wanted to, I could step in now and really screw the whole thing up for you." Isolde told him.

"You would threaten me?"

Cronus was practically humming with anger, but Isolde never flinched, never backed down. She was the embodiment of stubbornness, pride, confidence, and courage. The promise of a vengeance unlike any he had ever witnessed, flashed in those vermilion red and sky blue eyes.

"Yeah I would." she replied.

Cronus squared his shoulder, glowering down at her.

"You would have already told him if you honestly would carry out such a threat."

Isolde growled then. Anya turned to stare at her wide eyed. She had never heard such a feral sound out of Isolde, then again she had never seen the anger that was banked in the girl's eyes either.

"Don't challenge me. You don't know shit about me. Try me and we'll see what secrets of yours come to light." Isolde retorted.

"You do not know anything." Cronus replied, eyes narrowing.

"Really? Watch yourself, Cronus. Your Greed will kill you one of these days. If your wife doesn't first." Isolde retorted.

Cronus froze, humming with an anger so intense that it was only rivaled by the fury banking in Isolde. The two glared at each other, Anya watching from the side lines. She didn't understand half of what was flying between the two, but a grin slowly curved Isolde's lips as Cronus' eyes widened.

"Don't push me, Cronus. I'm far more feral then anything you can handle." Isolde told him. "I will tell Lucien if I'm pushed far enough."

"I can kill you." Cronus threatened.

"Better men then you have tried and failed. I'm a stubborn thing. I don't die easily." Isolde retorted.

Cronus growled at her before turning to Anya.

"Tell him. We both know it will not stop him from obeying me. He loves his warriors and this woman too much to watch them suffer, even if the price of their freedom is his own." Cronus told her.

Taking her courage from Isolde, Anya straightened her back.

"So why hasn't he obeyed you already, huh?" she asked.

"You have bewitched him."

"I wouldn't expect that to change anytime soon." Isolde muttered, but Cronus ignored her.

"Having the key might-might-fortify Tartarus and make it the stronghold it once was, locking the Greeks inside forevermore so that they don't escape like you did. But where is the fun in that? Where's the adventure?" Anya said.

"I lost my sense of adventure long ago. I will not be overthrown again. I will not have the Greeks escaping, and I will not have you aiding them. To ensure my continued reign, I need the key." Cronus said.

Isolde almost snort, she really did. She had almost broke out in laughter. She so wanted to tell him, his future, just to watch him squirm, but didn't.

"Listen, you're not the only one with problems. I'm hunted on a daily basis, remember? Giving up the key means losing my strength, my abilities, my memories-perhaps even my freedom. If I'm ever locked away again I won't be able to escape." Anya said.

"I have offered you my protection in the past. You have always turned me down."

"Because that offer is bullshit. You can always demand further payment from her, could forget about her." Isolde retorted, getting a glare from Cronus.

"She's right. So I will continue to do so."

"Tell me what you want, then, and it is yours. Things do not have to end badly for you." Cronus said.

"There's nothing I want."

Anya was happy with things as they were. She couldn't be locked away, no one could kill her and get away scotch free, she had an almost-boyfriend who was beyond awesome, and she had a somewhat-daughter who was becoming her best friend. She was fine with things as they were. Anything else she wanted, she could get by her own means. She studied her nails, as if bored.

"Mind if we take off now? This conversation is boring and I have place to go, yada, yada, yada. Plus I'm pretty sure Isolde hates your guts." Anya said.

"Somewhat." Isolde replied.

"One day in the near future I will know what it takes to humble you. Both of you. I will know what it takes to crush you. And when I do, you will wish you had given the key to me this day." Cronus said.

"Humble me? Best of luck to you because you won't figure out a way any other way." Isolde retorted.

Cronus gave her another long look before he vanished. Isolde grabbed Anya's arm in time to save her from doing a face plant as her knees went weak on her. Anya grabbed her arms to keep herself up, her thoughts running in hundreds of directions. If Cronus threatened Lucien, it would crumble her. If he tried to hurt Isolde, it would hit her in the heart as well. She could, thought it pained her to think of it, keep her distance from Lucien, but Isolde? Isolde was one of the few things these days that made her smile every time. Lucien being the other. But it wouldn't be wise to do as such. She just couldn't let Cronus see how much she cared.

"Fucking Cronus." Anya grumbled.

"Yeah, I know." Isolde said.

"You shouldn't have angered him."

"I know."

"You shouldn't have threatened him."

"I know."

"He's going to try to hurt you."

"I know."

I know!? Was that all the girl could say? Was she insane? Anya looked Isolde in the eyes. The two-toned gaze looking back at her was calm, so confident, so stubborn. There was a determination of will there that could stagger anyone. A wisdom that should not be found in one only who was only twenty. Anya realized then that Isolde wouldn't fear the god king. She couldn't. She had faced down too much in her life to bow down now. To do so would be to give up. And Isolde wasn't giving up. She wouldn't cower in the face of Cronus, wouldn't allow herself to be shoved around.

Not anymore.

"Anya, listen to me. Don't let him push you around. You know what you want. Don't let him take it from you." Isolde told her.

"How can you be so calm?" Anya asked, shaking her.

"Because there's nothing he can do to me that hasn't been done before. Except kill me and there's no way in hell I'm going to allow that." Isolde replied. "Don't worry, Anya. He'll get his due someday."

Isolde was so sure, it was hard to do anything but believe her. But when would that day come?

-0-0-0-0-

Lucien was in a fit of rage. He had already broken free of the bed, the chain still attached to his wrist, and had destroyed most of the house in his fury. He had seen a vision of Cronus towering over Anya in her Switzerland apartment and that alone had sent him into his rage. He could have killed Anya and Lucien would have been unable to help her and that had torn his heart to pieces, driving him into a dark fury unlike any he'd had since he had lost Mariah all those long years ago. Just thinking about it made his roar his rage.

But to then see Isolde step in, standing down the god king. The girl have been so brave, so strong, standing there, her chin held high but Lucien had yelled for the girl to get her ass out of there. Cronus had already threatened her and Lucien had seen the way Cronus looked at Isolde. His vision had gone red, seeing the two women face down Cronus. Now he was destroying the house.

"Uh, you wanna explain this?"

Lucien wheeled around at the sound of a woman's voice, barely seeing the outline of a lithe female with pale hair. Another female, shorter, leaner, with darker hair, stood beside her. Lucien stomped towards them, sword in hand, ready to kill. The dark haired on grabbed the other's arm, pulling her back.

"Lucien?"

"His demon has taken over."

Lucien lift his blade, and slashed down, aiming for the pale haired woman's neck. The dark haired woman shoved her aside, the blade catching her arm before hitting the floor and he hissed, something tapping him on the shoulder. He swung around, a fist hitting his nose, spilling blood down his chin.

"You better calm down, Death, or you're going to make me mad."

He raised the sword again, only to have it knocked out of his grip. He surged forward, grabbing the pale haired woman and shaking her.

"Lucien. Lucien. Seriously. I'm not a rag doll. Calm down. Tell me what's wrong."

Her smell drifted to him then. Strawberries and cream. He tilted his head catching the scent of the second woman who was standing off to the side. Lavender, honey, and green apples drifted into his nose. He knew both scents well.

"Tell sweet little Anya what's going on in that fat head of yours. Pretty please, with a cherry on top of me."

Anya. And the other was Isolde.

Lucien blinked, the red haze fading until Anya came into focus. Isolde was just behind her, watching carefully as she gripped her left arm.

"Anya? Isolde?"

"We're right here, lover."

Lucien looked around the room, took in the destroyed room and the blood. He had cut his hands, punching the walls but some of the blood on the floor, wasn't his. He turned back to Anya, urgently looking her own.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked.

There wasn't even a single bruise on her skin or a single rip in her clothes.

"Did I hurt you?" he repeated.

"Would you care? I mean, you've wanted to in the past." Anya replied.

When Lucien's lips pressed into a thin line, she waved it off.

"Never mind. The answer wouldn't matter anyway. You didn't hurt me. Just Isolde."

Lucien paled as Anya turned and walked away from him. His eyes landed on Isolde who had blood trickling down her left arm. Lucien was on her in an instant, prying her hand away to look at the gash in her arm. Already the flow of blood was stopping and the wound was starting to close, but that didn't make him feel any better about hurting her. Lucien pulled Isolde into a hug, pressing his nose into her hair.

"I am sorry, Isolde." he told her.

Isolde didn't say anything, but nor did she push him away. She was still mad at him, but she was already starting to forgive him. That, at least, made him happy. Isolde peered at Anya and the goddess could see the conflicting emotions in her eyes. She wanted to be angry at Lucien, but she couldn't help melting a little when he got so torn up over the idea of merely cutting her. She would hold on to her anger for a little while longer, because her pride wouldn't let her let it go just yet.

Lucien finally released Isolde, taking one last look at the cut. It would be nothing more than a pink whelp on her arm within a few hours.

"Really, what was that about? I've never seen a more demonic display. Your eyes were red. Freaky stuff, and not in a good way." Anya remarked as she perched on the torn up arm of the hacked up couch.

"I told you once not to make me angry. What do you want from me, Anya? Why did you come back?" Lucien asked.

"First, to do this."

Anya stood and approached him, taking his chained hand into hers. She waved the other hand over it, an amber glow coming from her hand before the shackle popped open.

"The All-Key?" Lucien asked.

"Yes. You going to tell me what made you so angry?" Anya asked.

Isolde wandered away from them then, kicking a broken leg of a coffee table out of her way. She vanished into the kitchen and came back with a first aid kit that had, surprisingly, survived his rampage. Open it, she cleaned and bandaged her arm.

"I saw the two of you talking to Cronus." Lucien answered.

"What! You saw? How?" Anya asked.

"I do not know how, just that I saw you, in my mind. What did he say?"

"He wanted the key and Isolde really pissed him off. Didn't you, hun?"

Lucien's eyes snapped to Isolde, who shrugged. She didn't seem to awfully effect by the idea of angering a god and she wasn't surprised by the fact that Lucien had seen them. She had known he was watching then.

"Tell me why it is a light that comes from inside you. The key, I mean." Lucien said, turning back to Anya.

"No. What I will tell you is that if you kill me, the key will drain your powers. There. Now you know. That's why Cronus wants you to do this dirty work. And before you say anything, I never planned to tell you because one, I had no intention of dying and two, you would have thought I was lying to keep you away. But now you know. Isolde will even tell you that it is the truth. You can't say I didn't warn you." Anya told him.

"How is Cronus going to take the key from you if it is inside you?" Lucien asked.

"You already know that part. You kill me, you weaken, he swoops in and takes it from my poor dead body."

"So you have to die for someone else to possess it?"

"No. I could willingly give it."

"Then give it to him, woman!"

"I give it to him, I weaken. Permanently. Worse, I won't be able to flash. Get it now?"

Lucien felt like he was going to be sick. He understood it all now. He wouldn't get the key from her, unless he killed her, and she couldn't give it up without losing a lot in return. He had lost his bargaining chip with Cronus.

"While throwing your tantrum, did you destroy our supplies for the Arctic? I know Isolde had hers when she appeared in my apartment." Anya said.

"Yes."

"I can't believe I once thought you were too controlled. Seriously, learn some self-discipline, for gods' sake. You should be embarrassed."

"I am."

"Good."

Lucien changed the subject, deciding to think about the key and what to do about it, later.

"Before you left, you said you wanted to discuss something with me. What?" he asked.

"I forgot."

"Did you return to spend a few more hours in bed?"

There was a noise that was a mix between a choke and laugh from Isolde but they both ignored it. Isolde was an adult and could hear these comments like one.

"I'm here to get my stuff because I'm ready to start looking for those artifacts. I'm bored, after all, and it sounds deliciously dangerous, trekking through snow in search of an ancient relic." Anya answered, a blush staining her cheeks.

"You left me for Strider to find naked and chained to a bed. Have I thanked you for that?" Lucien asked, trying to lighten her up.

"No, you haven't. Did he likie?" Anya asked, a grin slowly lighting her face.

"He must have. He took a picture." Lucien said.

Isolde approached them then, pulling out a silver and black cellphone Strider had bought for her. She opened it and clicked on something before showing it to Anya. Anya out right laughed.

"Oh my gods, he did!" Anya said.

Apparently when Strider had sent out the picture, he had sent it to Isolde's phone too. Isolde, ever the one to use anything to embarrass her housemates, had probably kept the picture to be used against him in the future. He would have to get a hold of her phone later to delete the picture.

"What did you wish to discuss? Tell me true." Lucien said then, as Isolde slipped the phone into her boot, returning to the kit to return it to the kitchen.

"I wanted to tell you...I wanted to say...I'm not sure I like your attitude." Anya told him.

"I am not sure I know what you mean."

"Just, I don't know. Don't be so ooey-gooey nice to me. It's nauseating."

"Nauseating?"

"You an echo now? Yeah, Nauseating. Jeez."

Isolde peered over at the two as she returned the room. Neither of them noticed her.

"Why are you acting like this? After the way you begged me to keep licking you?" Lucien asked, arms crossing.

"I realized that was a mistake, that's all." Anya said, backing away from him.

"Do you no longer trust me?"

"No."

"Why? I could have entered you then, and we both know it. But I didn't. And I think we both know you were close to asking me for more."

"I was toying with you. Faking it." Anya insisted.

"I'll believe a lot of things about you, sweetcakes, but that isn't one of them. Not anymore." he told her.

"That's the saddest thing I've ever heard."

"Do not make me prove my words."

"Fuck you."

"You would like that, would you not? If I fucked you?"

Isolde knew it was coming but she still winced when Anya slapped Lucien. He kind of deserved it, baiting her like that. Didn't make it look any less painful in her opinion.

"One, you shouldn't talk like that. And two, don't make me state the obvious. I...I...felt sorry for you, obviously." Anya told him.

Even Isolde could tell it was a lie. Anya's voice croaked on the end and her eyes started filling with tears. It was clear that Lucien was battling with himself. He wanted to believe Anya was lying, knew, deep down inside, that she was, but, as Isolde knew herself, old insecurities died hard.

"I'm not going to try to kill you again, so you can cease trying to soften me." Lucien told Anya.

"How nice for me."

"Just know that if you hit me again, I will hit you back."

That was about as likely as Paris willing giving up his cock. Or so Isolde thought. Lucien would never raise a hand to Anya again.

"A girl can hope." Anya replied.

"Stay here or go home, but I'm going to purchase more supplies and I want to do it alone." Lucien told Anya.

"I'm going with you, so there." Anya told him, lifting her chin.

It was an action he had seen Isolde do several times. The more he saw the two of them together, the more he could believe that Anya had been meant to be Isolde's mother.

"No. You are not. I am done with you right now." he told her.

"Whatever. I know someone. He lives in Greenland, and he has everything we'll need. We'll pop into his place, borrow what we want and make our way into the Arctic." Anya said.

Isolde, at least, could see the jealousy blaze to life in Lucien's eyes as he locked in on the word "he".

"Who is he? And why did you not pop us to him earlier rather than dragging me to Switzerland?" Lucien asked.

Isolde popped a hand against her face, sagging into a wall. Lucien was so dense it gave her a headache.

"He's my friend, and I didn't take you to him because I wanted you to see me-I wanted to shop with you and thought we had plenty of time. Damn it! I'm looking at my feet again." Anya retorted.

"Well stop. Did Cronus threaten you?"

The silence between both females answered that for him.

"As if I care about that bastard's threats." Anya finally said.

"What did he say to you?" Lucien asked.

"Stop, just stop. Cronus said nothing important. Besides, what's between me and another guy isn't really any of your business, is it? Now, do you want to visit William or not?" Anya asked.

"Not. I don't want anyone knowing what we're looking for. Tell me what Cronus said to the two of you." Lucien insisted.

"William won't even know we're there. Promise. And damn it, Cronus said nothing."

Isolde didn't offer him an answer either.

"You mean to steal from this William?" Lucien asked.

"Yes. So are you ready or not?"

Isolde stepped up beside Anya, pulling on her coat, linking her arm through hers to show she was ready. Lucien got the message loud and clear then. Isolde was going to side with Anya, no matter what. Anya gave her a smile and turned.

"See you there, Flowers." Anya said before vanishing, taking Isolde with her.

Whoever this William was, Lucien didn't care. He already hated him. A summons from Death had him traveling to the States first. Afterwards he would find out who this mystery man was.


	16. Hello, Man-Whore

Author's Note: I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or the characters.

Chapter 16 Hello Man-Whore

Anya and Isolde flashed to the porch of William's house and Anya found out instantly why Isolde had kept her coat, gloves, and boots on, her goggles and earmuffs hanging around her neck. An ice-cold wind cut through Anya's barely-there clothes and instantly chilled her to the bone. A minute passed with no sign of Lucien. Before Anya could work herself up into a frenzy, Isolde spoke.

"He'll be here in a minute, so don't worry."

Anya looked at Isolde but, as she said, a minute later, Lucien appeared.

"What took you so long?" she asked.

"I do have responsibilities, Anya." he replied.

"So Death did a little phoning home? How many souls did you have to take this time?"

"Twelve."

Isolde watched the two as Anya reached back and gave his hand a squeeze. Lucien instantly brought her hand to his lip. No matter how distant they tried to act it was clear how much they already loved each other. They had a lot still to overcome. This was why Isolde had wanted to go with Lucien, despite what he had said to her, instead of with Paris and Gideon.

"I decided we should talk to William first. Don't worry, he won't spill your secrets." Anya said, knocking on the door.

There was no answer and Anya knocked harder. Isolde knew that with two vampire ladies to keep a man busy, he wasn't in a hurry to leave them and answer the door.

"This is a nice home." Lucien remarked.

"Yes. Willie would have it no other way, the egotistical ass." Anya replied.

Then the porch light flipped on and one of the double doors was pulled open and a man stuck his head out. Isolde had known William was gorgeous but she hadn't known it was to this extent. If she actually had an interest in physical perfection, this man would have had her engine revving. As it was, she was more about the inside, not the outside, and William's insides weren't so pretty.

"Anya?" he asked.

Isolde and Anya both heard the low growl from Lucien as William, half naked, stepped out onto the porch and grabbed Anya in his arm for a hug.

"Hiya, angel. Can we come in? It's freaking freezing out here." Anya said in greeting.

"Wear more clothing next time. Like Isolde." Lucien snapped.

William cast a quick glance at Lucien, raising a questioning look at Anya before picking up the shadowy outline of Isolde.

"My flavor of the week. You're looking good, sugar." Anya told William.

"I'm looking good? Good? I've never looked better, and I know it. Get in here and warm up." William said, moving to let them in.

Anya went first, Lucien right behind her. Isolde followed them in. The moment she cleared the door and it was closed, leaving them in the warm air, Isolde shoved her hood back and removed her coat, happy to get out of the fur lined coat.

"Lucy, Isolde, this is Willie. He's a sexual deviant and spent a little time in the cell next to mine before some sucker paid his bond and set him free. A woman, no doubt. The moment William left, he forgot about me and failed to post my bond." Anya said.

"There was no bond for you." William replied.

"Excuses, excuses. You always did look out for number one. Willie, this is Lucy. He's mine." Anya said, groaning when she caught her words.

"I am Lucien, not Lucy." Lucien said.

William's eyes locked in on Isolde, scanned her from head to toe, before a sexy grin lit his face. Isolde knew what was coming, had heard every cheesy pick up line in the book since she was fifteen. The man stepped up to her side, taking her hand in his.

"And who is this lovely creature?" he asked.

"My daughter." Lucien growled at William.

Isolde almost grinned. Finally a father who actually claimed her and with pride and possession in his voice. She could have grinned like a happy fool, but managed to contain it. She was still angry with Lucien. William, on the other hand, looked from Isolde, to Lucien and back again, as if he was trying to find some kind of trait that was similar between the two.

"This is Isolde. She's Lucy's adopted daughter." Anya said, pulling Isolde to her side and wrapping an arm around her.

William refused to let go of Isolde's hand though.

"I'm William, but you can call me Sexy. Everyone does." William told Isolde, giving her a grin.

"Not everyone. There will be several in your future who won't find you appealing at all." Isolde said, speaking the first words in Lucien's presence since he had assigned the locations the others would to go to search for Hydra.

William stared at Isolde. He looked like he was trying to figure out if she was stating something she knew or something she thought.

"Oh yeah! Isolde knows the past, present, and future." Anya said.

"A seer, huh. Hot." William remarked.

"Yes, well. You might want to release my hand before you lose yours. Daddy isn't exactly a man willing to share." Isolde told him with a smile.

William looked at Lucien who was glaring daggers at him, and released her hand. Not because he was scared of Lucien. He hadn't yet learned to fear the keeper of Death. Aside from that, the two men refused to acknowledge each other.

"O-kay. This is awkward. Someone say something. Please." Anya said.

"Have you ever been Anya's-what did she call it-flavor of the week?" Lucien asked.

"I wish. And it wasn't from lack of trying on my part." William said with a snort.

Anya just shrugged her shoulders.

"He's not my type, alright. He's never tried to kill me." she told Lucien.

"Is that what it takes? If so, I'll-"

"You will not touch her. Either of them." Lucien snapped at William.

Two voices had sounded from Lucien, both reeking of danger. Isolde on the other hand, whipped her head around to look up at Lucien, her eyes leeching of the blue once more. Anya could almost swear that Lucien was Isolde's real father. The two had the same temper when it was pushed.

"I am an adult, as is Anya. I will do as I please. What if I want him to touch me?" Isolde said, eyes narrowing.

Lucien shot her a glare.

"I will lock you in your room for the next ten centuries." Lucien told her, Isolde snorting.

"Yeah, good luck with that."

William grinned as Lucien gave his adoptive daughter a glare, not that Isolde was paying him anymore attention. William turned to Anya.

"So what are you doing here?" William asked.

"William." came a woman's voice.

"We're still waiting." came another.

"Two at once now?" Anya asked with a grin.

"Way to go, horndog." Isolde piped in, her eyes going to the two robe wrapped women on the stairway.

"I couldn't decide which one I wanted, so I settled on both." William said, shrugging sheepishly.

"How magnanimous of you. Well, don't keep them waiting." Anya told William.

"Make yourself at home. See you in the morning, Annie Love." William told Anya, trying to give her a kiss on the cheek and backing away when Lucien snarled.

William turned to Isolde next, giving her a playful wink.

"You definitely make yourself at home. We can...chat later." William told her.

Isolde he actually gave a kiss on the cheek. Lucien snarled again, sending William retreating backwards, holding his hands up.

"Love? Chat?" Lucien spat.

"Teasing. I was only teasing." William insisted, increasing his speed.

"We need to borrow some stuff. That's why we're here. Not that I don't love to visit, of course." Anya called.

"I'm amazed you didn't just steal everything you needed." William replied.

"I would have, but the big guy frowns on theft for some reason." Anya replied.

"I do not. Not anymore. You need it." Lucien told her.

"He'll have to get used to it if he's going to hang with you. Later."

With that William turned and took the stairs two at a time.

"Oh, Willie. Side note here. I'm kinda being hunted by the gods and the demon of Death. By coming here, I might have brought war and chaos to your doorstep. You okay with that?" Anya called.

"Totally. What's a visit from Anya without a little chaos? We'll talk more in the morning, 'kay?" William replied before leading the giggling women away.

Isolde made a low, disgusted noise at the giggling, Anya silently agreeing with her.

"Well, you heard the man." Anya said, turning to Lucien. "We get to make ourselves at home. Let's start grabbing what we need."

Isolde looked up as Lucien started crowding Anya back against a wall. His glare was so intent he had forgotten Isolde was there. Isolde grinned.

"What?" Anya asked.

"The only thing we're going to do is finish what we started." Lucien told her.

"F-finish? What do you mean?" she gasped.

"You know what I mean. You left me hard, and now you're going to take care of it." he replied.

Anya's eyes went past Lucien to Isolde, who was standing there, watching, her arms wrapped around her coat.

"Help me." Anya told her.

"I think I'll turn in for the night." was Isolde's reply.

"Isolde!" Anya snapped.

"Believe me, you'll thank me in the morning."

With that, Isolde let her shadows take her, the black abyss swarming up to black out her vision. When it cleared, she found herself in an empty bedroom, upstairs. A large and lush four poster bed, polished, wood furniture, crystal chandelier, classy paintings on the walls, and a bathroom built like a spa suite. Isolde sat her bag and coat down on the bed, digging through it for spare clothes. She ditched the clothes she was wearing along the way, undergarments included and thankfully drew herself a hot bath in the bathtub big enough for eight people to fit in it.

She let out a sigh as she sank into the water, letting her hair down from the pony tail. Her hair tumbled down around her, half of it floating in the water. That done, she relaxed her head back on the edge of the tub and let the warm water seep into her skin.

By this point Paris would be captured by Hunters, having been taken down by Sienna. He would be awaking in a cell, groggy and unable to fight from the drug she had injected him with as well as the lack of sex. At the same time, Maddox would be finding Aeron missing soon and would call Reyes to tell him, sending the man on a frantic mission to find Aeron and save both him and Danika.

Things were unravelling faster than she had thought they would. Being away from the others, with only Lucien around and his demon happily sated on Anya, Isolde's head was empty of other voices for the first time since she had come to live with the Lords. She had forgotten what the silence was like.

Quite frankly...she wasn't a fan.

The silence unsettled her. It reminded her far too much of the silence before the storm that had been her real father's anger. Nights had been hell in her house because that was when her father drank and that was when he came seeking her. Sleeping had been a bad idea. Even once she had left his house, had moved half way around the world, she had been able to sleep properly at night, always too scared, too nervous to sleep at night.

Since moving to the Lords' fortress, always having the knowledge that all she had to do was tell one of their demons and the warrior himself would come running, had made sleeping easy. She knew they were all just a call away. Not that she needed them to protect her. Not anymore. She was strong enough to fight for herself. But for emotion and mental reassurance, it was nice to know they would come running for her.

With a frustrated noise, Isolde scrubbed her wet hands over her face, shoving them into her hair next. She had never thought she would come to care about others, or even come to need another, yet they had weaseled their ways in and now Lucien was more like a father than even her real father. Now she had ten brothers, two sisters, and a father. Her life was growing full and complicated.

"At least it's a lot more interesting than one you had before." Isolde muttered to herself.

Interesting. Only if it didn't get her killed. Heaving a sigh, Isolde sank below the water, blowing bubbles as she did. Life was complicated.

-0-0-0-0-

The morning found Isolde a little irritable from the lack of good sleep. Even when she had reached out to Death, all she had gotten was a purr. The damn demon sounded like a cat on hyper drive. In the morning she dressed in a pair of skin tight, glittery ice-blue leggings with a large, white shirt over it that hung from one bare shoulder and fell to mid-thigh length. She left her hair down her back and pulled on her new, fur lined boots before heading downstairs. William was the first person she saw as she appeared out of her shadows and the man nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Whoa. Nice trick." he praised.

"Thanks. Daddy knows how to flash and I travel and hid in shadows. Quite the pair, wouldn't you say." she said sarcastically, a smile on her lips when he grinned.

"You know he doesn't look old enough to be your father. Adoptive or not." William told her, falling into step with her.

"Oh? And what makes you say that?" she asked.

"He looks maybe thirty-five max. Not old enough to have a daughter your age." William retorted.

"And what do you know about my age?" Isolde asked with a laugh, her hands going to her hips.

"You're, what, eighteen?" William replied.

"Ha! Wrong, big boy. You're just a shameless flirt trying to butter me up by tell me I look younger than I am." Isolde replied, giving him a playful shove.

William grinned at her.

"Why, I never." William said in playful tone.

"Uh-huh, sure."

William looped an arm around her shoulders as they walked.

"So does daddy decide who you hang with?" William asked.

"He wants to, but no. If I did, I would have never starting hanging with Anya. He didn't like her all that much to begin with. Still believes she's a bad influence."

"Sounds about right." William agreed.

"If he saw you right now, though, he'd threaten you with the loss of your hands." Isolde told William.

William laughed, though Isolde had been serious. His laughter died, though, when there was a low, threatening growl from behind them. William twisted around to see what it was, but Isolde didn't need to look to know it was Lucien.

"Keep your hands to yourself or lose them." Lucien growled at William.

Isolde looked up at William, twisting enough to see Lucien glaring at William.

"See? I told you so." Isolde told William.

William released her, holding his hands up in innocence. Lucien snarled at him before ushering Isolde away from William. Isolde rolled her eyes, but went anyway. The three joined Anya at the table, Lucien and Anya putting themselves between Isolde and William. Apparently even Anya had a problem with the man being around Isolde.

"Nice hickey." William remarked, spying the hickey on Anya's neck.

Anya's cheeks colored. Isolde chuckled lowly making Anya kick her leg under the table. Isolde didn't mind. It was her fault that Lucien had marked her. As far as Isolde was concerned, she figured Anya should have known Lucien would get jealous of another guy touching her and feel the need to mark her.

So yes, it was Anya's fault.

It was clear that Lucien's possessiveness had taken a new level when he growled whenever William so much as reached in Anya's direction. He did the same thing when William came anywhere close to Isolde but that was a father instinct in Lucien that had seemed to kick into over drive over the last few days.

"I have told you to keep your hands-"

Isolde glanced up when Lucien trailed off. His eyes had both gone blue.

"Daddy's about to pop out for a minute." Isolde remarked.

Anya instantly latched onto Lucien's arm.

"I must go." Lucien said.

"You're taking me. Remember?" Anya replied.

"You will stay here."

"Don't make go invisible on you and follow without permission."

"Like before. I have not been able to figure out how you did that."

"I'm Anarchy, remember? I don't obey the laws of nature-or anything else."

"What are you guys talking about?" William asked.

"Daddy's job." was Isolde's reply to him when Anya ignored William.

"Leave me behind, and I'll sit in Willie's lap the entire time you're gone." Anya threatened.

"Leave her behind, my man. I'll take extra special care of her." William said with a grin.

Lucien bared his teeth at the other man and took hold of Anya's hand.

"Fine. Let's go. Behave, Isolde." Lucien said, aiming the last at Isolde before the two vanished.

William instantly turned his eyes on Isolde. His grin was slow and-though she didn't see herself-sexy. It would take a lot more than that grin to charm her out of her clothes. When he didn't say anything, she raised an eyebrow at him, lifting a piece of bacon to her mouth to bite off the end.

"Not going to follow them?" William asked.

"And leave you here all by your lonesome? Now why on earth would I be that rude to my gracious host? I'm not Anya, you know, no matter how much she's starting to fancy herself my mother." Isolde replied, fluttering her eyelashes in mock innocence.

"Could fool me." William replied.

Isolde flicked a piece of scrambled egg at him with her fork in reply. William swatted it aside with a chuckle.

"If you don't watch it I'll get my daddy after you." Isolde told him, playfully.

William laughed again.

"I like you." William told her.

"A lot of people do. Get in line."

Isolde finished off her piece of bacon as his grin grew. At least she knew guys found her desirable. First Gideon and Strider, then creepy ass Cronus, and now William. Of course only two of them actually knew all aspects of her personality and still liked her.

"So, you said you know the future?" William asked.

"And now we reach the main reason for you buttering me up." Isolde remarked, a grin on her face.

"I'm curious. Can you blame me?"

"Not really, but just so you know, my ability to know the future comes with a can't-tell-anybody cause that holds only one loophole."

William raised an eyebrow at that one. It was easier to claim that she couldn't tell someone about the future because of a curse, or something along those lines, that kept her from saying anything. She couldn't use that lie with the Lords because Gideon would sniff the lie out.

"What kind of loophole?"

"I can give hints, small details. That's about it. As long as it's nothing major or defiant, I'm good." Isolde told him.

"Any hints for me?" William asked.

"You look an awful lot like a Sent One I know. Oh! And when you meet a guy named Paris, beware of your hair." Isolde replied, leaning back in her chair.

"My hair?"

"You'll see."

Before William could say anything else Lucien and Anya reappeared.

"And where did you guys go?" William asked.

"Nowhere. So where are your women this morning?" Anya asked, squirming in her seat a little.

"Sleeping. Vamps need their beauty rest." William replied.

Isolde grinned at the shocked look on Lucien's face.

"Vamps as in vampires or vamps as in conquests? I'm guessing conquests. You don't look like you've been nibbled on-at least, not by anyone with fangs." Anya remarked.

"Wrong." Isolde piped in.

"Oh, I've been bitten, just not anywhere you can see. Unlike you." William told Anya.

Lucien choked on his juice at this and Isolde covered her face with a hand to keep from laughing out loud. If anyone should have been shocked into choking on food or drink, it should have been her, not Lucien.

"I think you shocked him." Anya remarked.

"Not possible. We could hear the two of you going at it like rabbits. Stunned the hell out of me, but I have to say, making this little minor goddess beg for it was a nice touch." William remarked.

"Thank you." Lucien said, warning in his tone.

"I'm not minor, you dirty man-whore!" Anya said in reply.

"He has a point though," Isolde said as William gave Anya a wink. "I could hear you too. Do you know how much that echoes when someone is in the bathroom trying to take a bath? I couldn't sleep because of it. The images were disturbing."

Both Anya and Lucien shot her a look, clearly telling her to shut up. Isolde held up her hands in innocence.

"Hey, don't give me those looks. It's your fault, not mine, that you're so loud." Isolde told them.

William chuckled, propping his elbows on the table top.

"So what's going on? You know I love for you to visit, Anya, especially when you bring a beauty with you," William gave a grinning Isolde a wink. "but why are you here and why are you being chased by the demon of Death?"

Lucien placed a hand on Anya's arm to stop her from replying. He gave Anya a shake of his head when she looked at him and then shot Isolde a warning look. Isolde's hands went up instantly in mock innocence once more.

"I'm not going to tell any secrets, Flowers." Anya told him.

"Oh, secrets. Tell." William insisted.

"We simply need to borrow some items from you." Lucien told William.

"Like?"

"Actually-" Anya started.

"Oh, boy. Here comes the blackmail. Get ready to lose your happy buzz, Willie, my friend." Isolde warned him.

William glanced at her before focusing back on Anya.

"We'd like you to be our guide through the Arctic Circle." Anya finished, ignoring Isolde.

"Anya." Lucien warned.

"Well, I would. He lives so close he spends a lot of time there. He know the lay of the land. And that's not really giving away our secret, now is it?" Anya replied.

"Why do you want to enter the Arctic? It's colder than a witch's-unmentionables. And I should know!" William replied.

"Actually a Sent One's wings can be colder." Isolde put in, shrugging when the others looked at her.

"I'm on vacation and feel like touring a few glaciers." Anya replied, flippantly.

"You hate ice. You spend most of your time in Hawaii." William argued.

"We'll be fine without a guide. Clothing, blankets and snowshoes should do." Lucien said.

"I'm not taking you into the Arctic. I just got back from a trip there and I need some serious R and R." William said, shaking his head.

"You'll change your mind." Isolde told him.

Lucien gave her a look.

"Then we are agreed. Anya, Isolde, and I will go alone." Lucien told William.

"The hell we will."

Isolde picked up her glass her juice, saving it as Anya slapped a hand against the tabletop.

"Willie will guide us wherever we want to go and he'll do it with a smile on his face. It will save time and he'll be a good soldier to have with us if a fight breaks out with you-know-who. Hydra." Anya added, ignoring the small laugh Isolde let out.

"You want to fight Hydra? I'm not going near that bitch. I lost sight of her a few years ago and that's the way I prefer it." William argued.

"Never thought I'd meet a woman you wouldn't screw. For that matter, I never thought you'd meet a woman you wouldn't screw. And speaking of that, where exactly did you come across Hydra? And how'd you escape alive?" Anya asked.

"I saw her twice, both times in a different location out there in the ice. And I escaped alive only because she couldn't bear to mar my gorgeous mug, but it was a close call." William muttered in reply.

"This is good." Lucien said.

"Why do you go out there, anyway? You've never said." Anya replied.

"He's worried about sneak attacks from immortals even though he has no idea if they're there for him or Hydra." Isolde replied.

"Yeah, that's right." William said, giving Isolde a shocked, and a little awed, look.

"Who are your enemies?" Anya asked.

"Husbands." Isolde offered.

"I, uh, have a little problem with desiring mated ladies, and their spouses would like nothing more than my demise." William confirmed.

"You will stay away from Anya and Isolde, both." Lucien growled.

Anya pat his hand while Isolde rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Last time I'll ask you nicely to take us." Anya warned William.

William rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. Isolde couldn't help but thinking the man was stubborn enough to fit in with the Lords, all of which were bull headed.

"Sorry, but my answer is no." he replied.

"Don't say I didn't warn you. Say by to your good mood." Isolde told him.

William eyed her, as Isolde stuck another piece of bacon into her mouth.

"Well, then. Maybe now's a good time to tell you that I have your book." Anya told him.

William froze on the spot.

"You don't. You can't. I saw it this morning before I came down to eat." William replied, violence a threat in his eyes.

"I warned you." Isolde told him.

She scooted back from the table when William shot her a look, allowing Lucien to reach across the scoop Anya up, sitting her on his lap. Anya snuggled up to Lucien.

"Think again." she told him.

"Anya. You don't have it. I saw it this morning." William snapped.

"Watch your tone." Lucien snapped back.

"You saw a fake." Anya explained.

"You're lying." William retorted.

Lucien was on his feet in an instant, putting himself between William and Anya. Isolde didn't move from her seat, her legs crossed as she watched with observant eyes.

"I told you to watch your tone." Lucien warned William.

William shoved back from the table, Isolde swinging sideways in her seat in time to avoid the chair that rocketed back into the island. She tossed an arm over the back of the chair.

"If it's gone..."

William didn't finish his sentence but flew out of the kitchen. Isolde downed the rest of her juice, sitting the cup on the table.

"I warned him." she remarked.

"Damn. He actually walked away without destroying the room. Come on. We don't want to miss this." Anya said, twining her hand with Lucien's and grabbing Isolde's with the other, dragging her to her feet.

Anya pulled them after William. Isolde sidled up next to Anya, laying her head on Anya's shoulder. Since the other woman was taller, it made it easy. Anya let her, which put a smile on Isolde's face. Had she had tried that with her mother, the woman would have shoved her away, none too gently.

"What is this book you mentioned? And did you really steal it?" Lucien asked.

"A book of ancient prophecies decreed by the gods. And yes. I took it. William should have been a smart boy and studied it a few times over the centuries, but nooo, he was afraid he'd do more harm to his fate than good." Anya told him.

"One of the prophecies is about William. Written about the same time he went to prison. It's about a woman who will lead to his down fall and it's encrypted. Somewhere in the book is the key to decoding it." Isolde added. "I warned him. Why does no one ever take my warnings?"

Anya and Lucien looked at Isolde as she shook her head.

"Anya! How could you fucking dare!" came William's angry shout.

"I guess he found the fake." Anya remarked.

"I would say that's a fair guess." Isolde added in.

"Will he try to hurt you?" Lucien asked, looking down at Anya.

"Now while I have his precious." Anya replied, using a demon voice at the end.

Lucien and Isolde both shook their heads at Anya, though Isolde was shaking hers for a different reason. They finally arrived at the study, finding William with the fake in his hands. Isolde, despite the warning of Lucien, approached William, leaning to the side to look at the cover of the book as William fiercely flipped through it.

"The cover appears to be the same, but the pages are blank." William growled.

"The rubies in the cover are fake. You can't tell?" Isolde asked, hitching an eyebrow up at him.

William just frowned at her before turning his eyes on Anya who spread her arms.

"Sorry. I couldn't help myself." she told him.

"Someone should have put you down a long time ago." William said tartly.

"Like that would have done any good." Anya muttered.

"Why do I like you? Why do I always allow you back? You and your fucking All-Key are a menace. Give me back the book, Anya!"

"How does everyone know about this key, yet I had never heard of it?" Lucien complained.

"I'm a menace in my own right and am far too observant and nosy for my own good. And I have an ungodly ability of knowing what's happened, is happening, and will happen. That's how I know." Isolde said idly.

"Why don't you just take the key from her?" William suggested to Lucien, an evil grin on his face.

"He's pissed. He's going to completely rat you out now, Anya." Isolde said, pointing to William.

"Shut up, Willie! He already knows."

"Everything?"

"Yes."

"Liar."

Isolde couldn't help but say this part with William and gave Anya an apologetic smile when she looked at her.

"So, Lucy. Did you know that if she gives you the key, she'll be giving you her memories? You'll know everything about her. Her every sin, every crime, every man she's ever touched. Even better, you'll know where she is every second of every day. She'll never be able to hide from you." William said.

"Told you he was going to nark." Isolde said, taking the fake book from William and walking over to the desk to hop up on it to sit.

"True?" Lucien asked, turning to Anya.

"All part of the All-Key's charm." Anya replied.

"Who gave you this key? Why would anyone place such a burden on you?" Lucien asked.

"Her daddy dearest gave it to her when the gods finally decided on her punishment for murdering the captain of their guard. She was to be made an immortal sex slave. Fitting, don't you think? Tartarus knew of her curse, however, and knew what that would do to her. So he stepped in to play savior for once in his negligent life." William answered for Anya. "Why do you think the immortal prison eventually fell? How do you think the Titans eventually escaped? Without the key he'd housed inside himself, both Tartarus the man and Tartarus the prison were weakened. Eventually, both crumbled altogether."

Isolde looked between the three, knowing full well what was tumbling through each of their heads. She was once again struck by just how childish William could be. Seriously, it was such a child's nasty form of payback, narking something like that when Anya hadn't been ready to tell Lucien. Isolde was half tempted to kick him in that handsome face he was so proud of. Lucien would have applauded her for it. Hell, he would have been proud.

"Satisfied with yourself?" Isolde asked William.

"Very. You want a guide? You've got a guide. Afterward, I get my book." William said.

Anya nodded. Isolde looked at her and Lucien again and hopped from the desk.

"Alright, Mr. Rain-on-Anya's-parade, let's go and get you packed. Maybe if you're a good boy, and be nice, I'll give you a kiss for your efforts." Isolde told William, giving him a nudge.

The man's eyes lit up, though Lucien growled. Isolde waved him off. She was a grown woman and could do what she wanted. She would only give William a kiss. Nothing else. There was someone else out there willing to give him more, not her. William happily slung an arm around her shoulders and walked out of the room with her.

"Take your time to talk." Isolde told the two before she vanished around the doorway.

William whistled under his breath as he walked with her.

"You know, I did warn you. You should have just agreed in the beginning." Isolde told William, though truthfully, she was glad he hadn't.

Lucien and Anya needed to have the conversation they were about to have. They also needed the curse Cronus was about to put on Lucien. Cronus didn't know it but he was about to help Lucien and Anya with their relationship and was about to give the two all the nudge they needed to defy him completely.

"Your warning wasn't clear enough." William complained.

"That's as clear as I can make it. Next time just take the warning and run like hell. Believe me there will be more coming your way." Isolde retorted.

William looked down at her, but Isolde waved his off with her left hand. It was then that the man's eyes locked on to the ring on her left hand. He caught her hand in his and raised it to his eyes to study the silver ring with its etching of twining butterflies and dragons and its red stone.

"Is that a ruby?" he asked.

"Bloodstone."

"Wedding ring? Engagement ring?"

"Nope. Just a gift. I'm single."

William grinned at her and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Remember, you promised me a kiss." he told her.

"I told you maybe, if you were a good boy. I haven't seen you be a good boy."

"I can be a real good boy."

"Uh-huh, sure you can."

"Are you scared? A virgin, perhaps?" he asked, looking her over.

"No, on both counts. I'm just not a sexual person. Kisses I can do with no problem. The rest just doesn't interest me."

"I can make it interest for you." he offered.

Isolde let out a laugh. He would try too. She knew that much about him. He didn't need sex to live, like Paris, but he certainly did try to get it every time he turned around.

"I'm sure you can. I'll give you the kiss, but I have to focus more on what we came here for and not anything else." she told him.

"I'll take the kiss."

Before Isolde could say another word, William tilted her chin up, his mouth molding over hers. Isolde had been kissed before, mostly forced kisses from men too handsy for their own good. Just like those, Isolde didn't experience any kind of spark or jolt, like Anya did when she kissed Lucien or Ashlyn did when she kissed Maddox. But damn if William didn't know what he was doing. His head tilted, his tongue thrusting past her lips into her mouth. His arm around her shoulders slipping to her waist and he turned to her, pulling her against him.

It had been a while since she had been this close to a man in any kind of an intimate way. She had easily forgotten that, though not short, she was still considerably smaller than most men. With William who was bigger than most men, she felt dwarfed. As the kiss deepened and William got closer, she became even more uncomfortable. Then she found one of his knees wedging itself between her legs. She wasn't naive enough to not know that he was going to try to press his advantage. She experienced a moment of panic and fear, but she pushed it back, forcing herself to remain calm. Isolde reached up and flicked the man on the chin. William broke the kiss, pulling back to give her a questioning look.

"I said a kiss only, big boy. Time to let go." she told him, giving him a grin when he groaned.

Reluctantly he released her, heaving a sigh. He back up a step and Isolde could swear he looked pained. Well it was his own fault, the horndog. He didn't always need sex.

"I could have changed your mind." William remarked.

"I know."

Not really. Isolde wasn't just not interested in sex. She hated it. Kissing was fine with her, as long as it was done willingly. William was good at kissing, that she would admit, but she hated sex. She had decided a long time ago that she was better off without it. So no matter how good at kissing William was, he wouldn't have been able to change her mine.

"You know there is such a thing as too much sex." she told him, hands going to her hips.

"Nonsense! You've obviously just never had great sex." William retorted.

"Probably not, but it doesn't matter. Now come on. We're supposed to be getting ready for a trip." Isolde reminded him.

"Alright, alright."

Isolde shook her head as she followed William. Now for the real action to start.


	17. Climb to Monsters Summit

Author's Note: I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or the characters.

Chapter 17 Climb to Monster Summit

William, sulking like a child, had refused to allow Lucien to flash him and had, instead, had a helicopter take them to the coast. Isolde, with her irrational fear of helicopters, as well as flying men, had opted for using her shadows instead. She was not going to step one foot on what she called a flying deathtrap. Lucien had been no more excited about the thing, but had taken it since Anya was.

Isolde, dressed in a grey, fur lined coat, matching grey-white pants and furred lined boots, was waiting for them when they landed. Her long, dark hair was tied into a bun, her hood drawn up over earmuff clad ears, and the goggles she had stolen were secure over her eyes. Despite the cold, she looked as comfortable as if it was seventy degrees.

She was leaning against one of four ATVs waiting for their use, her backpack of food and water already strapped to her. She looked up at them as they approached. Lucien had noticed her lips were a little swollen before they had left and had almost skinned William then and there, but Isolde had simply nudged him right out the door. He wasn't all too happy with her at the moment, but she still wasn't happy with him either, so it seemed fair.

"We can flash this stuff to where we need it." Anya complained, glancing at the backpack behind her. "I don't see why we need to haul its weight around and let it slap us in the ass every time we hit a bump."

"I agree." Lucien said.

"Well, I don't. And obviously, you need me, so it's my way or no way." William retorted.

"That's because you're sulking like a child." Isolde told him, giving him a grin when he looked at her.

Both Isolde and Anya flipped him off, Anya out of spirit, Isolde out of playfulness. Lucien grinned at both.

"We need to climb to the highest peak." Lucien told William.

"That's the one, then. And don't try to flash, leaving me behind. And no shadows either. You won't reach the top without me since I've left little presents for my...uninvited guests along the way." William told Lucien, shooting a look at Isolde when he mentioned shadows.

Isolde held her hands up innocently. He was grouchy because she had left him to ride the helicopter, alone, with the lovely-dovey couple.

"Just flat out admit that you can't be flashed anywhere and get this conversation over with." Isolde told William.

"He cannot be flashed? What makes you so sure you cannot be flashed?" Lucien asked.

"Just trust me. Attempting to flash me hurts everyone involved." William told him.

"Willie decided to play Hide the Salami with Hera and Zeus decided to make sure no one could ever flash him to safety again. In fact it was because of Hera that he ended up as Anya neighbor in prison. She found out that he was playing the same game with others and got angry." Isolde added.

William looked at her.

"You really are a dangerous person." he remarked.

Isolde grinned.

"Honey, you don't know the half of it." she told him, before flicking back her hood and pulling a helmet onto her head.

She yanked the hood back up the moment it was secure. The others did the same, Lucien grabbing Anya's to look it over before allowing her to pull it on.

"This is fun."

Anya's voice came to Isolde through a built in headset. William started this ATV and led the way. Isolde let Anya and Lucien go next, bringing up the rear because she could spread her shadows to watch behind him for enemies.

"Maybe now is a good time to tell you that a group of men entered the circle about...oh, three days ago. Doubt they were looking for me." William said.

"How do you know?" Lucien asked.

"They're human. I don't mess with human women." William answered.

"You will." came Isolde's idle warning.

"Could it be Hunters?" Anya asked, cutting off anything William could say to Isolde.

"Most likely." Lucien replied. "Where are they now?"

"Maybe dead. Maybe on the mountain." William answered.

"I thought you monitored this place for jealous husbands. You should know." Anya said.

"Maybe they disabled my cameras."

"And maybe you're avoiding answering because you know and are being an immature ass by not answering." Isolde teased, right about the same time Anya scooped up a handful of ice and chunked it at William.

"Your attitude sucks. This is hardly the way to get your book back." Anya told William tartly.

Isolde knew why he didn't retaliate and why William was so stiff.

"Secrets don't make friends, Willie. Just remember that I always know." Isolde remarked.

William's back stiffened farther and Lucien and Anya shot her questioning looks, but Isolde didn't say another word. They continued on, mostly in silence and before long Anya figured out why Isolde had chosen to strap her backpack to her back and not the ATV. While Anya's continued to slap her in the backside, Isolde didn't suffer the same problem. The smart little girl could have shared the tidbit but Isolde rarely shared anything. It made Anya worry about the girl sometimes. She never even shared her thoughts and feelings, kept them locked up tight.

Anya glanced back at Isolde. The girl had long since fallen silent. It was almost as if her attention was split between keeping an eye on them so she wouldn't lose them and keeping an eye on the land around them so they wouldn't be caught unaware. There was one time when Anya looked back and saw the sinister flicker of shadows spreading across the ground around them that was Isolde's manipulation of them. She was keeping an eye out alright but to keep the spread of shadows going it had to consume a lot of her focus.

"Trip wires up ahead. Follow me and don't deviate." William said suddenly, snapping Anya out of her thoughts. Isolde slowed, allowing Anya and Lucien to line up between her and William in a straight line. She continued to take the rear.

"How do you know?" Anya asked.

"I put them there. A man has to protect himself when immortals are always trying to sneak up on him." William replied.

"Here's an idea...stop sleeping with married women." Isolde piped in.

William ignored her, of course.

"Any other little gems you've got waiting out here?" Anya asked.

"Oh, yeah."

"Like what?" Lucien asked.

"Bombs, poison berries, ice caves. You know, all the B-movie stuff." William replied.

"Nice." Anya praised.

Isolde wasn't listening anymore. Her attention was on her shadows. Something was out there alright. Things were only going to get more dangerous the longer they were out there in the ice. She was going to remain on alert. Nothing would take her off guard.

-0-0-0-0-

Three days later, Isolde warned them before they ran into Hunters in the middle of the mountain. She had been just behind the others when she had stopped and issued the warning. Lucien was thankful for the warning. It was about the only thing good that had come out of the trip. They had left the ATVs behind the day before, switching to ice picks to climb, stopping to rest only when necessary and eating only one meal a day. Isolde seemed to be the only one that wasn't heavily affected by the conditions. The only time she showed any effects from the long treks was at night when she would instantly fall asleep, leaning against Lucien.

She would sleep like the dead until the next day.

Lucien and Anya knew why, too. She was using her shadows too much, further draining her energy. But even then, she seemed to be a whole lot better than Lucien, who kept falling on his face. Like at this very moment. Anya held him steady, Isolde pausing to wait while they got situated. Lucien was horrified. He was so weak, he couldn't even flash, couldn't even slip into the spirit world to collect souls. Death was going crazy, driving Lucien insane as well. There were a few times, in the course of the days in which Lucien couldn't collect souls that Isolde vanished suddenly, shadows swallowing her whole.

When she came back, she was grim and Death's clamoring eased for a while. Lucien had a bad feeling he knew what Isolde had done. Every time the girl vanished, someone, he didn't know who, died. He knew she was doing it to ease the torment of the demon on both of them, her mental barriers no longer in place. She had taken them down, had invited Death into her mind, to ease as much of the torment on Lucien as she could. Lucien was grateful, but not if the cost was Isolde's sanity. She never said a word though, just continued to trudge on.

Lucien tripped and fumbled again, Anya's grip on him tightening.

"Maybe we should leave him here and continue alone." William suggested.

"No!" Lucien and Anya shouted.

"You're slowing us down, Death, and apparently something about your state is driving Isolde bleaker by the day. I'm ready to get home to my bloodsuckers and my book." William said in a flat tone.

Lucien was put on alert then. None of them, not Isolde, not Anya, nor him, had told William that he was possessed by the spirit of Death. So that begged the question of who.

"Just leave him alone." Anya snapped.

She stopped, Isolde doing the same, forcing William to as well. While Anya jumped into a tirade, Isolde came up on Lucien's other side, wrapping his free arm around her shoulders, to support him from the other side. He felt her arm wrap around his waist, to help keep him up. He looked at her but she was scanning the world around them, always on alert. It made him proud. She was doing what she had to, to help protect him, someone she cared for. It made him feel weak that he couldn't be the one protecting her and Anya.

Lucien was snapped out of his thoughts when Isolde poked his chest. She pointed down at the ground when Lucien looked at her. There were footprints in the snow.

"Anya, be quiet." Lucien demanded.

Anya turned on him, surprised.

"You did not just tell me to-"

"Hunters." Isolde said, her voice turning to a growl.

The shadows around them shivered as the blue leeched out of Isolde's eyes and they went straight to crimson. Lucien had not seen the change come upon her eyes that quickly before. He withdrew a dagger, his arm tightening around Isolde's shoulders. Anya and William crowded around them, looking at the ground.

"The prints stop at this wall. There aren't any prints leading away Weird. Impossible, even." Anya said.

"They shouldn't have gotten this far." William added.

"There has to be a door that leads inside." Anya muttered, feeling at the ice with gloved hands.

"To the left, middle, it's a crystal rock." Isolde told her.

Anya followed the instructions and found the spot Isolde had indicated.

"Found it!" Anya cheered, the ice sliding out of the way to show a doorway.

"How is that possible without my knowledge? I knew people were journeying into the circle, but I watched them die. Didn't I? Either way, how could they have made a fucking camp for themselves? I don't know how many there are, but I'm going to kill them all. Their intentions are not pure; they could have been paid to take me out." William muttered.

"Your ferocity is a little late. You have to admit that coming out here was a good idea, and you wouldn't have done it without me stealing your book. You can thank me with roses." Anya replied.

"What the hell ever." William said with a snort.

"Just let me kill a few and I'm good." Isolde told him.

"Why don't you wait here, Flowers, and make sure no one else sneaks inside? We'll be back in a little while and-"

Lucien growled, cutting off Anya.

"I am going in." he said firmly.

"Lucien, you're-"

"Fine. I am fine. We will go in with William in the lead, you in the middle with Isolde, and me in the rear." Lucien said.

Anya agreed only because she knew he wouldn't give. Isolde made sure he was steady on his feet and moved away from him, a gun appearing in one of her hands and a dagger in the other. Pride filled Lucien once more.

"Do you have a gun?" Lucien asked Anya.

"Only a few daggers." she replied, already holding three.

"Good. That's good."

"Let's go. The more time we spend out here, the more time we give them to prepare." William told them, entering the cave, Isolde moving to follow him, eyes glowing red.

Anya followed, Lucien right on her heels. Isolde could already hear the voices of people up ahead and Death laughed in her head. For the last few days he had been in her head, begging her to give him the death Lucien couldn't. Whenever it became too much for Lucien and her, she would transport herself to some kind of Hunter hideout and kill a few before returning. It always made her feel better afterward. This would go a good ways to easing the demon.

"-no closer to finding it and we've been searching for days." a male voice said.

"The old man said it was here."

"We're close. I feel it."

"We'll die out here if we stay much longer."

"Damn right." Isolde said so faintly, her three companions barely heard her.

She was ready to go, her whole body tense and ready to kill.

"We can't give up. The demons must be destroyed. Look at what they did to the people in Budapest. That plague killed hundreds, including many of our own." came a fourth voice.

"Have the others learned anything from the prisoner?"

Prisoner? Lucien looked to Isolde for an answer but the girl was focused ahead of them. Her eyes were burning a bright red now.

"Not a damn thing."

"Damn it! What if this Hydra is only a myth? What if the stupid relic doesn't exist? What if there's nothing out here and we came all the way to this godforsaken place for no reason?"

"Don't talk like that."

William finally came to a corner, stopping Isolde and therefore Anya and Lucien. William placed a hand on Isolde's shoulder, holding the girl in place. Isolde had enough sense about her to not attack him, her whole body tense.

"The Cage of Compulsion is here. It has to be." yet another voice added.

"If the mythologists can be believed, we can't get to the box without all four artifacts. That means we don't leave the circle until we have that damn cage."

Isolde tensed further, waiting for William to release her and allow her to attack. William held up his other hand, holding up a single finger, ticking off to three. When he reached three, he released Isolde. Her three companions were shocked with the lightning fast, lethal grace in which she threw herself around the corner, letting out a cry as she launched herself at the nearest human. Lucien flew around the corner in time to watch Isolde jump on one man's back, digging her blade home in his neck. She went down with him, ripping her blade free as another man turned on her.

Death purred in her head, relishing in her kill, before howling as a bullet ripped through Isolde's right shoulder. Isolde rounded on the man, eyes gleaming dangerously before she surged forward, moving close to the ground. Lucien felt his pride soar as he watched her dance out of the way of more bullets before she rammed the man, taking him down as she shoved a blade home in his gut. She never slowed, despite the burning pain in her shoulder. She aimed her gun between his eyes, pulling the trigger, ending him and turning as a man swung a burning log at Anya. The goddess jumped out of the way, but flames caught on her coat.

Isolde dodged as the log flew over her head, and she heard Death roar in her head, urging her forward to kill. A red haze fell over her eyes just, as she was sure, it did with Lucien. With the most unholiest shriek Anya had ever heard, Isolde flew past her, throwing herself full bodily at one of the two remaining humans. The man went down with Isolde ripping at him with her daggers, blood coloring her sleeve. The man went down with cries, fighting her, managing to stab her in one thigh, but Isolde continued to carve at him with the blade until he was dead. Her vision only cleared when the man was dead, his face no longer recognizable.

Her breathing was coming in pants, but Death was purring his satisfaction in her kill, finally leaving her head for the first time in days. The tension that had seemed to become a part of her the last few days, left her and she was suddenly so tired. Her shoulder and leg ached but she was just happy to have her head to herself for a second.

"Lucien, you're on fire!"

Isolde turned her head as she got carefully to her feet. Anya was patting Lucien down and barely managing to help ease Lucien to the ground when his knees gave. Isolde joined Anya as she cooed to him. She lowered herself, more like dropped like a rock, next to them, one pants leg turning red with blood. Lucien's gaze slid to her as if checking she was alive before they closed in sleep as Anya had ordered.

"Isolde, you're hurt." Anya said.

Isolde's eyes finally locked in on her thigh and shoulder.

"Yeah, I know." Isolde said, unzipping her coat and easing it away from her shoulder.

She was suddenly glad she had thought of bringing an extra coat. Hers was already stained, the shoulder baring a hole. She ripped it off, teeth chattering as she checked the wound. The bullet had gone completely through and the wound was already starting to knit itself close.

"I'll be right back." Isolde told Anya before vanishing into her shadows.

When the shadows again cleared from her vision, she was in William's house once more, in the room she had borrowed. She undressed, cleaning the blood away and borrowed another suit from William once she checked her injuries. When she reappeared in the cave, she had her next coat and was pulling it on. Anya gave her a questioning look.

"I'll be fine. They're already healing." Isolde told her, settling down next to Lucien.

She looked down at Lucien's sleeping face, her own eyelids feeling like lead.

"This was why you've been using your shadows none stop lately." Anya remarked.

Isolde looked up at her.

"Yeah."

"And that's why you've slept like you're dead every night." Anya added.

Isolde nodded, her attention starting to waver as sleep fought to claim her brain.

"You're tired now." Anya stated.

Isolde shook her head, both to deny the statement and to clear her head of sleep. It didn't help. Sleep tugged at her harder. Anya smiled at her.

"Sleep, Isolde. We can't move on until Lucien is up anyway."

Isolde, much like Lucien, couldn't argue, her eyes closing of their own accord. She was lost to the world before her eyes fully closed.

"He may not even live out the rest of the night." William remarked, meaning Lucien.

Anya looked from Isolde, to Lucien. Anya had felt concern for Lucien and pride in Isolde's fierceness to protect her, overwhelm her and now felt the sudden need to stab William.

"Don't talk like that. He's going to be fine." Anya insisted.

"What's wrong with him, anyway? Isn't he supposed to be immortal? Every time I look at him, he's weaker. And then there's that whole freaky eye thing with Isolde. The weaker he's gotten the more feral she's gotten." William remarked.

"Fucking Cronus cursed him. I'm not sure about Isolde, but she's always feral in a fight from what I've seen."

"Why'd Cronus curse him?"

"The god king is a bastard. That's why."

"Well, if I were you I'd go to the Big Guy and beg. Otherwise, your man is going to eat dirt for eternity." William suggested, looking from Anya to Lucien.

"I told you not to talk like that." Anya snapped, looking back down at Lucien.

Anya knew that somehow, someway, Lucien and Isolde were connected. When Lucien had erupted and jumped to her defense, so had Isolde. When Lucien suffered, Isolde was effected too. Anya was just glad that Lucien's curse didn't seem to be effecting Isolde in the same way. She had to do something to save Lucien. It was then that Anya admitted she loved Lucien and she cared for Isolde like her own mother cared for her.

"I'm going to take him back to your house. The search for Hydra will have to wait until his wounds are tended." Anya told William.

"Hell, no. You're not welcome at my house anymore." William told her.

"Well, you're going to have to find a way to flash there and drag me out because I'm going with or without your permission."

"I'll retaliate!"

"Don't forget who has your book, and that I wouldn't mind tossing it in a nice toasty fire." Anya warned, wrapping her arms around Lucien.

"Like I'd forget. Fine. Go to my house. The vamps'll take one look at his wounds and make a meal of him. Or maybe I'll find Hydra while you're gone. Maybe I'll bribe her to eat you and spit out your bones." William told her.

"Just for that, I'm ripping ten pages out of the book before I give it back."

William frowned at her, but Anya had fixed her eyes on Isolde's sleeping face.

"Watch out for Isolde. You better protect her, or I really will burn that book." Anya told William sternly.

"Whatever. She'll be fine."

Anya gave him a warning look before flashing away.

-0-0-0-0-

When Isolde next woke, she found herself, alone, in the cave with only William. Even the bodies of the Hunters were gone. She found she had been laid on her side, her ruined coat used as blanket under her and a blanket thrown over her. William was sitting across the still burning fire from her, fiddling with a dagger. Isolde guessed that Anya and Lucien were still back in William's house. She groaned as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her shoulder and thigh, though stiff, were healed. She rolled her shoulder as William looked up at her.

"Finally awake, huh?" he asked.

"Argh. I hadn't meant to go to sleep." Isolde replied, scrubbing a hand over her face.

"Yeah, well you did. And your dear daddy and Anya are-"

"Back at your house. Yeah, I know."

Isolde pushed the blanket off of herself and folded it, putting it back in her pack. William got to his feet and crouched next to her, offering her an open can of half warmed soup. Isolde took it thankfully, drinking it down. It did little to warm her, but it took the edge off the cold and filled her rumbling stomach. William stayed crouched beside her, watching her.

"So do you want to hang out here and wait, or move on? I'm sure your daddy can find you." William remarked.

"Move on. No point in sticking around here." Isolde replied, letting William pull her to her feet.

"Good, then we agree. Let's get going."

William and Isolde finished packing up and clearing the cave and moved on. Knowing that there was no other danger to run into Isolde didn't have to waste any of her attention or focus on using her shadows and without Lucien's weakening state to slow them down, William and Isolde moved quickly. Now and then William offered her a helping hand, but Isolde was determined to do this on her own. She was suddenly grateful for all the early mornings she had put in running and going to the gym before coming to live with the Lords and all the spars she had been in with the Lords since.

"I got a question for you." William said suddenly as Isolde heaved herself up over a ledge.

Isolde looked back at him.

"Yeah? Well I'm all ears." she told him, working her spike out of the ice.

"You're connected, somehow, to Lucy, are you?"

"You mean Lucien?" Isolde stabbed her spike into the ice and hauled herself up again, William just behind her. "I guess you could say that. It is a form of connection."

"What kind?"

"Let's just say his fury becomes my fury and his need to kill becomes my need to kill. It's really kind of complicated. I'll explain it fully to you one day." she replied.

"That's why you kept vanishing, isn't it?" William asked.

"Yeah. Usually Lucien's really controlled, I never really had to worry about it, but with the way he is now...it's a constant nagging in my skull. I can't even began to describe the headaches."

"Yet you aren't weakening like him."

"And I won't. It's not that kind of connection. It's more mental and emotional then physical. He can weak, be hurt, or even die, and it's not going to do a thing to me."

Isolde's foot slipped and she paused for a moment to find a better foothold before hauling herself up. Being lighter and smaller, she had gotten ahead of William. She could have just gone straight for the top with her shadows if she wanted to, but she wasn't going to leave William behind. He was already in a bad enough mood since Anya had taken off with his book.

"And is he connected to you?"

Isolde knew where this conversation was going now. William had already talked to Cronus, she knew that, but from the sounds of it, something had changed. Cronus had probably told William to find out information about her. Especially where her connections to the warriors was concerned.

"No, he's not. It's a one way deal, not that he hasn't tried. Why all the sudden questions about me?" Isolde replied.

"Just curious."

Isolde paused in her climbing and looked down at William, moving her goggles out of the way. The man was just behind her and stopped when she did to look up at her.

"William, there is only a few things you need to know about me. One is that I know everything. Every conversation you have, every reason behind what you do. And the second is when it comes to those I care about, when it comes to defending them...I am the most feral thing in existence. I will rip out whatever throat I have to. Do us both a favor and try not to lie to me. It does little to endear me to you." Isolde told him.

With that she replaced her goggles and continued her climb. William fell silent after that, leaving the two of them to climb in peace. Isolde didn't mind. There was enough noise in her ears from the whistling wind that complete silence wasn't an issue for her. Her muscles had just started to burn when she heard the first trace of Death in her head.

"We're near the top and Lucien's already there." Isolde told William.

"You're going to leave me behind now, aren't you?" William grumbled.

"Only for about ten minutes. You're almost there. I'd take you with me since it's not flashing but I'm not sure I can. Might end up nasty."

"Fine. Go."

Isolde reached out and pat the top of his head before her shadows swallowed her. When she stepped out of the shadows, bleeding back into existence, she was standing between Lucien and Anya.

"Hiya, folks." she greeted.

"Isolde!"

Anya wrapped Isolde up in a hug. Isolde winced. Climbing all that way when her shoulder had just healed, had been a bad idea. The joint ached horribly.

"Nice to see you again too, Anya. Do you mind? My shoulder still kind of aches." Isolde told Anya, who released her.

Isolde looked up at Lucien.

"You're looking a lot bet-"

Isolde cut off as Lucien yanked her into a hug of his own, lifting her off the ground. Anya grinned at the picture, while Isolde was sure her cheeks turned red as she stiffened. Had she done something wrong again?

"I am sorry for everything I said to you in Greece." Lucien told her.

Oh.

Isolde relaxed, her muscles melting. No one had ever apologized to her for something mean they had said to her. It was a first that she really liked. But she wasn't ready to let him off the hook with just that little apology.

"I was wrong to accuse you and to speak to you like that. I should have never doubted you and I understand now what you meant by not answering all of our questions. I now know what you meant about finding my greatest treasure. Please forgive me, baby girl."

Okay, so now she was ready.

Isolde relaxed completely, wiggling her arms free and wrapping them around his neck to return the hug. Was this what it was like to have a father who actually cared? You fought, but then you made up? If so, then she really liked it.

"About time you realized it. Now that you've found her, you can't let her go...I'm tired of not having a proper mother." Isolde told him.

Anya felt her heart squeeze. Isolde had claimed her as her mother. Anya had never thought about being a mother but with a childlike Isolde...she was okay with the idea.

"I forgave you already. I just wanted to make you work for it. How could I ever stay mad at the first true father I've ever had? I do love all of you, Lucien. Don't doubt that." Isolde told him.

Lucien gave her a squeeze and finally sat her down. He peeled back her hat long enough to place a kiss on her forehead before righting it.

"Good. One day we can make that official." Lucien told her.

"But then that would make the others my uncles and not my brothers. I prefer brothers, unless you want to be their dad too." Isolde joked.

The look on Lucien's face drove both Anya and Isolde into laughter.

"Tell me why, I still do not see William." he said looking around.

"I'm here."

The three turned as William heaved himself up over the edge, only his eyes visible past the mask over his face.

"A little help." he snapped.

Lucien crouched on one side of him, grabbing one wrist while Isolde grabbed the other. Anya wrapped her arms around Lucien's waist and together, the three pulled William up. When finally he stood and shook snow from himself, he hunched over and fought to suck air in.

"Been years since I've had to do that." William said.

"You should look into flashing." Anya offered.

Her reply was William flipping her off. Anya chuckled while Lucien and Isolde snorted.

"I'm surprised you didn't head home." Anya said to William.

"And give you more reason to burn my book or tear out the pages? Besides, I had her with me and she wanted to go on." William replied, gesturing to Isolde before looking at Lucien. "You're looking well, considering your recent injuries."

"Where could a monster hide in this?" Lucien asked, ignoring that last part.

"She could be a chameleon. She could be the color of snow and we could be standing on her right now." Anya remarked.

All of them, except Isolde, looked down. Isolde was too busy scanning the land around them. William looked up at Anya to say something and spotted the sword on her back.

"Nice sword." he remarked.

"Thanks."

"It's one of my favorites."

"If you're nice, I'll give it back to you in a year or two."

"You're so good to me."

"I know. Now, I believe we were talking about Hydra."

William turned to study the land like Isolde.

"Well. Where to now?" he asked

"Well, since Lucien was so kind as to apologize to me, I'll start pulling my weight." Isolde said. "This way. I know exactly what we're looking for."

With that Isolde took off, Anya stifling a groan as she followed.

"Don't tell me we've got miles of hiking to do. I might just sink into a fit of the vapors." she remarked.

"Sorry, but yeah, we've got a little hiking to do." Isolde replied.

"Stay on alert." Lucien said.

The group fell silent as they followed Isolde, who had her eyes peeled. An hour passed, then two, and then a few more.

"Remind me why I like you. Remind me why I welcome you into my home time and time again, even knowing trouble's going to follow you. 'Cause right now, I can't remember." William complained, finally breaking the silence.

"Because she's awesome and makes everything twenty percent cooler." Isolde offered, getting a hug from Anya.

"You welcome her because she brings excitement and passion everywhere she goes." Lucien added.

Anya grinned at him, patting his shoulder. Lucien instantly took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze.

"Anyone know what Hydra is like? Good fighter?" Anya asked.

"A horrible mix of woman and snake with snakes for hair and teeth like mini daggers." Isolde muttered.

"She is unbeatable, and every time you cut off her head another will grow in its place. Do you really think you can beat such a creature, Anya? You're strong, but not that strong." William added.

Lucien stumbled then and Isolde, who was right in front of him, stopped and turned, like she was about to say something to William, letting Lucien stumble into her and catch himself. She acted shocked, like she hadn't known it was coming.

"Sorry." Lucien told her.

"It's fine." Isolde told him as he righted himself.

Anya gave her a smile.

"What's wrong with you now? Anya wear you out or something?" William asked.

"He just tripped. Lots of people do it." Isolde replied as Anya slapped William on the arm.

"Yeah. Don't talk about him like that. He wore me out." Anya said.

"I really didn't need to hear that." Isolde added, making a face.

"Ow. That hurt. You're stronger than you think and pack one hell of a punch." William complained.

"Hush, you big baby. I thought I wasn't that strong." Anya retorted.

"Well? What's wrong with you?" William asked, ignoring that comment.

"If the enemy assumes I am weakened, he will underestimate me." Lucien replied with a shrug.

"True. But I don't see any enemies around." William replied.

"Time will tell." Lucien replied.

Isolde was too busy scanning the land before them again to bother with the conversation.

"What did you do with the Hunters' bodies?" Lucien asked.

"They were gone by the time I woke up." Isolde replied.

"I took care of them. That's all that matters." William added.

Isolde looked back at the man, but didn't say a word. The Hunters had already been dead, so she didn't really care. Dead was dead and if William burned the bodies or pitched them off the side of the mountain, she didn't care. They had tried to hurt her friends so they deserved it.

"Why would you bother?" Anya asked.

"If someone found them, human would flood these mountains in droves to investigate their murder." William replied.

"Smart. Gods, where the hell is Hydra, Isolde? I don't even see footprints and I'm starting to feel seriously PO'd, like I picked the wrong place and she's moved out of the Arctic. That would make me a big dummy and severely damage my street cred." Anya said.

Lucien lift his mask and pressed a kiss to Anya's lips, which turned into a second, deeper kiss. Isolde shook her head and turned away.

"You are not a dummy." Lucien told her.

"Yuck. That's disgusting." William said, pretending to gag before he gaped at her. "You're bonded, aren't you? You gave in to your curse. For him. Why?"

"Love isn't disgusting, and that's all I'm saying about that. Just wait until it's your turn. I hope your soul mate drives you insane and wants nothing to do with you." Anya retorted.

"I could be so lucky."

"Yeah well, you won't be. She'll drive you up the wall alright." Isolde muttered.

"We'll see." Anya agreed.

William came to a halt.

"What do you know? Have you heard something? What have you heard, Anya? Isolde?" William asked.

"I haven't heard anything." Anya admitted.

"I know everything."

All three turned to look at Isolde who hadn't bothered to stop.

"But I can't say anything." she added.

"You two suck." William told them.

"You don't know the half of it." Isolde retorted, making William and Lucien both stop to stare at her.

Anya laughed, clapping both on the shoulders. They continued on and soon Anya was stumbling over blocks of ice too.

"How much longer are we going to look? Not that I want to give up or anything. I don't. I won't. I'm just wondering." Anya complained.

Isolde looked back at her as Lucien wrapped an arm around her. She turned back to her searching, until her eyes spotted it.

"There it is!" she said, pointing ahead.

Ahead of them, barely visible through the snow, was a shimmery outline of an arched doorway. It was exactly as she had always imagined it to look. Anya whooped, throwing her arms around Lucien when her eyes found the doorway too.

"This is it. This has to be it! Where do you think it leads?" Anya asked.

"Perhaps it is nothing." Lucien said.

"Maybe we should turn back." William suggested.

"No, this is it." Isolde assured them, taking a step toward the doorway.

Lucien grabbed her arm as well as Anya, stopping them both before they could enter the doorway. Both turned to look at him as he shook his head. He pulled them back.

"You first." Lucien told William.

William didn't move instantly and Isolde tried to tell Lucien that she knew what was on the other side and was perfectly safe going first, but Lucien, being the over protective daddy, didn't listen to her. William finally just shrugged.

"Very well. I'll go first." William said moving past them and through the doorway.

He vanished from sigh as if he had never been there in the first place.

"Now can we go?" Isolde asked.

"After me. Be ready to fight." Lucien replied, stepping forward, dagger in each hand.

Lucien stepped through, Anya following, Isolde going last. Isolde experienced a moment of disorientation as she went from freezing ice to warm paradise. As the warm arm defrosted her, she had to ditch her coat. The thermal bodysuit went next, leaving her barefoot in a pair of black shorts and a matching tank top. She checked her weapons, knowing they were around to enter a fight.

"Wow. This is, like, amazing. Who would have thought a place like this was actually up in these mountains?" Anya asked, gripping the sword she had taken from William.

"You might want to take off the coats. It'll be a lot easier to move." Isolde suggested, moving up on Lucien's other side. "And try not to breathe too deeply."

The two looked at her, noting her lack of warm clothes. Lucien picked up on the reason for her second remark. The air smelled of coconuts and pineapples, the smell lulling his body into relaxing of its own accord. Isolde's eyes were fixed ahead and Lucien followed her line of sight to William, who was leaning against a giant boulder, his arms crossed. Like Isolde, he had removed his coat, hat and gloves Lucien tossed his own mask and coat while Anya striped down to a white version of Isolde's outfit.

"This is where we need to honeymoon." Anya said, still not picking up on the tension radiating from Isolde.

She skipped forward, leaving Lucien and Isolde behind.

"I don't see any sign of our monster. Do you? And do you care? This is the best I've ever felt!" Anya cheered.

"Exactly why you need to take shallow breaths." Isolde told her.

"No, I do not see her." Lucien agreed.

He watched Anya, not focusing on, or caring about, the tension that had Isolde stiff beside him. Suddenly, Anya stopped and pointed.

"Lucien, look look look! The Cage of Compulsion." Anya said.

Lucien turned, gazing across a lake to see the plain-looking cage sitting on a boulder on the other side of the water.

"It's not as glamorous as I'd anticipated." Anya remarked.

"No." Lucien agreed.

"Hydra should thank us for taking it." Anya added.

It clicked in Lucien's head then. They were supposed to be on guard for the monster and so far, only Isolde was still on guard.

"Be careful. The monster could be near." Lucien warned.

William approached then, Isolde tensing more.

"Here it comes." she breathed lowly.

Lucien glanced at her, but focused more on the wave of dizziness that was suddenly clouding his head.

"You vowed to give me back the book if I brought you here. And as you can see, I brought you." William said.

"Yes, I did and yes, you did. As soon as we return, you'll have your book. You have my word." Anya promised.

Isolde's eyes met William's. He could see the warning banked there, her hands tightening into fist, but she didn't reach for a single one of the weapons he could see strapped all over her body.

"I'm sorry." William said before he struck. "I had hoped it would not come to this."

A sword sliced through Lucien's middle, twisted, and cut deeper. Lucien didn't see it coming and the last of his strength sapped from him. Anya let out a rage filled scream but it was drowned out by the unholy screech that left Isolde's lips, turning Lucien's blood to ice when he heard it. Isolde was a dark blur that shot past Lucien and barreled into William, taking the warrior down with fist flying. William rolled with her, fighting to dislodge her, but Isolde's eyes betrayed her rage at his attack, the twin pools having turned fully vermilion. They had yet to darken to crimson but it was close enough for William to understand that her killer's instinct had been pricked.

William wedged a foot between them, kicking Isolde away and rolling back to his feet. Isolde hit the ground rolling and popped back to her feet, two short swords appearing in her hands.

"You bastard!" Anya screamed.

"Cronus came to me while you were packing, Anya. He threatened to kill me if I didn't kill the two of you once the cage was found. I did not want to do this, but you forced my hand. I'm sorry. I am. You have to believe-"

"I'll fucking kill you, you traitor!" Anya screamed taking Lucien's sword.

Lucien tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen, promised she would punish William. Isolde's attention was focused on something else, her vision clearing as her rational mind took over.

"You said the two of them. What of me? What did he order you to do with me?" Isolde demanded, voice sharp.

William's lips tightened and a swarm of sickness rolled through Isolde. Cronus didn't want her dead. Not yet. He had probably ordered William to keep her alive and hand her over to him. It had red winking into her vision again. No. She wouldn't allow it. She would never again be a man's toy to treat as he pleased. William must have seen her metaphorical hackles rise, for he took a step back, caught himself and stood his ground.

"I do not want to hurt either of you." William told the two females.

And he wouldn't hurt Isolde. She wasn't going to face him. Anya would.

"According to Cronus, you have to. Isn't that right? Still looking out for number one, I see. But I'm not worried. A dead man can't hurt anyone. You should have told me what Cronus wanted you to do. We could have thought of something to stop him." Anya said, circling William.

Isolde stayed where she stood. Her eyes were on the water, waiting, watching. Behind her, Lucien managed to stand. It was then that Isolde saw the water move and then heard the screech. Out of the water came Hydra, jaws snapping and snakes hissing. Isolde tensed, her short swords ready. Lucien joined her, one hand pressed to her stomach and the other taking out one of his daggers. Isolde didn't try to stop him, just launched herself at the beast.

Anya focused on her fighting. She couldn't turn to watch, knowing William would take advantage of it. Lucien was a warrior and he had Isolde with him. The girl didn't look like much but when she was pissed, she was a vicious little thing that ripped apart anything in her way. Made Anya proud to call one her man and the other her daughter. Then she heard the shriek and knew it wasn't Hydra, but Isolde.

Oh yeah, Hydra was going to die.

Isolde distracted one head, darting from side to side to avoid the fangs. When one of the small snake heads bit her, Isolde let out a shriek and slammed the hilt of her sword into the head's eye, cursing darkly as she did. She could feel the poison burning in her veins, trying to slow her down. Isolde slowed her breathing, in turn, slowing the beating of her heart and the spread of the poison. One head Lucien had cut off, rolled after Isolde's bare feet, biting one.

Isolde hopped on one foot, swearing, rather colorfully, under her breath and, feeling annoyed beyond belief, she kicked the head like a soccer ball, away from her and into the water. She called the head a rude name before it hit the water and even flipped it off. Lucien would have laughed if he wasn't occupied with fighting off another head. Anya joined the fray then, having defeated William. Isolde glanced up only to be caught in the side with Hydra's tail and sent flying back onto her back.

"Isolde!"

"I'm fine." Isolde told Anya, popping back to her feet and charging Hydra from one side.

Anya hacked at the remaining head rolling around on the ground.

"How do we kill it?" Anya asked.

"Go for the eye. That's the only way I've found to destroy the heads." Lucien answered. "Or you could kill it back into the water, as Isolde has done."

"It pissed me off! The thing bit my foot!" Isolde retorted.

Anya grinned before jumping on top of the head to sink her blade home in the eye, the snake hairs biting her thighs. Isolde darted out of the way of another head missing Lucien getting knocked on his ass, but heard Anya's scream of pain when she was bitten by another head. Lucien was at her side quickly, but Isolde continued to dart between heads, refusing to acknowledge that her knees were starting to shake.

"Isolde!" Lucien called.

Isolde dived between two heads, taking another bite to the side. She gave the offending head a kick, her knees shaking more as she finally joined Lucien and Anya. Blood was trickling down her side and from one thigh and her feet were covered in blood, but she was managing to keep her feet, her anger burning off most of the need to pass out.

"I have an idea, but I can't do it without the two of you. I need you two to cut off her head and cauterize it when I've distracted her. Can you do that?" Lucien asked.

"Lucien-Yes. Yes, I can do it." Anya agreed, Isolde nodding.

Lucien gave Anya a kiss, kissed Isolde on the forehead and dematerialized, shimmered, and returned.

"I'm not strong enough to take my body. I have to go in spirit." he said, just before his body collapsed.

Because of her bond with Lucien, Anya could see Lucien's spirit. Because of her connection to Death, so was Isolde. Hydra, thinking Lucien was dead, focused on Isolde and Anya. The two women focused on each other, nodded and started forward. It was time to finish this.


	18. Sympathy Pain

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Sorry it's been a while. I have other stories to work on and have been super busy. But I have a few new chapters for you. So please enjoy and review. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld or any of it's characters. I would have dressed Sabin like Batman if I did. OH! NO! I would have dressed Torin like Batman!

Chapter 18 Sympathy Pain

Isolde kept one eye on Hydra, the other on Lucien as he reached into Hydra and grabbed hold of the creature's spirit. Whenever she tried to move, Lucien would pull her to heel by yanking on her spirit. Leaving Isolde the job of cutting off heads, Anya remained back while Isolde jumped in, cutting off one head. She moved out of the way as Anya approached, flame erupting from her hand. She slammed the fire onto the wound, the fire destroying the forming head and cauterizing the wound.

Hydra jerked in rage and chomped at Anya and Isolde. Lucien kept a firm grip as the two twisted out of the way. Isolde ducked past the head and sliced off the second head. Anya darted past her to burn the new wound, two snakes biting her. The creature went limp and collapsed into the water. Isolde finally allowed her knees to give and she sank to the ground beside Lucien's body. Lucien tried to return to his body and found he couldn't. Anya joined Isolde next to his body.

"Get back here. I'll doctor your wounds." Anya told him.

He tried, really he did, wanted to touch Anya, had to at least once more. But he couldn't enter his body again.

"Lucien. This isn't funny. Get back into your body!" Anya said, worry layering his voice.

"He can't." Isolde said.

Anya shook her head, refusing to believe it. Despite knowing that Isolde was hardly ever wrong, she didn't want to believe that Lucien couldn't go back into his body.

"You can." she insisted.

"Anya..." Lucien started.

"Don't give up. Keep trying." Anya pleaded with Lucien.

"Anya."

"You're not going to die. Do you hear me? You're not going to die. I won't let you. Help me, William! Isolde!" Anya shouted.

William had long since passed out and Isolde only shook her head.

"There's nothing I can do." Isolde told her softly.

Anya pounded on Lucien's chest, trying to get his heart to pound again.

"Anya. Please. I love you." Lucien told her, floating over to her.

Isolde flinched as Death roared in her head. She felt like part of her was being ripped slowly and painfully from deep in her. Lucien's roar reached her ears next. Isolde gripped her head, bending forward. She felt like her head was about to explode. Her chest burned, her body ached. It felt like every last one of her muscles was being ripped apart.

"Lucien. Isolde? What's wrong?" Anya asked, turning to Isolde, laying a hand between Isolde's shoulder blades.

Isolde was shaking, her fingers digging deep into her skull as she gasped in pain. Anya could feel the muscles of Isolde's back, under her fingers, bunching and shivering.

"Isolde?" Anya asked.

"Death...Lucien...separating...hurts..." Isolde managed, her teeth gritted in pain.

Anya stared at Isolde as if finally clicked in her head. Isolde wasn't connected to Lucien...she was connected to Death!

Everything began to make sense. How Isolde knew when Lucien was being called to collect souls, how she could see Lucien in spirit form, her dark moods when Death acted up, all of it was because she was connected to the demon, not the man. And now Lucien and Death were being pulled apart and it was hurting Isolde as well.

"You're going to be okay. I'm going to give Cronus the All-Key. You're both going to be okay." Anya promised. "I'll take care of everything."

Anya vanished then. Before Isolde could raise her head, she was back beside her. Anya soothed Isolde's hair from her face, checking the girl. Isolde's eyes were squeezed closed and now and then she twitched in pain.

"Tell me what's happening to you. Let me help."

Anya turned to look at Lucien, tears spilling down her face. She didn't want to lose Lucien, was afraid she'd lose Isolde too.

"I love you." Lucien told her.

Anya screamed for Cronus. Lucien tried to stop her, tried to hold on to Death but his last tie to the demon broke and he faded. Isolde screamed, curling up on her side, feeling like something had just been ripped from behind her eyes. A bright light exploded behind her eyes and a pressure pressed so hard against her temple she felt like she would pass out any second. She clawed at her temples, faintly picking up the sound of Anya's vomiting.

The burning in her chest turned to a pain so fierce it felt like someone had stabbed her through the chest and was digging in the wound. It made her eyes water, had her biting at her bottom lip, but the screams still ripped free of her. When Isolde's screams finally faded and the pain eased, Isolde was shaking like a new born lamb and Anya was bent over her, stroking her hair and cooing to her even as tears fell from her eyes.

"You'll be okay, hun. Just breathe." Anya told her.

Isolde didn't feel like that. She wanted to pass out, had black webs fighting to block her vision. But she knew she couldn't do that. Not just yet. If she did, Isolde was afraid that Cronus would find a way to talk Anya into trading her along with the key.

"I'm fine. Call Cronus." Isolde told her, pushing herself up with shaky arms.

Anya nodded, keeping a hand on Isolde's shoulder.

"I'm ready to bargain. Do you hear me? I'm ready." Anya called.

Cronus appeared in a flash of light. Anya got to her feet, Isolde pushing herself up behind her. It took her holding on to Anya's arm to stay up. Her knees shook so badly and her chest burned. It hurt just to breathe.

"I'm listening." Cronus said as he approached them.

Isolde straightened her back, refusing to appear weak.

"The key is yours. Willingly given if you'll swear to bring Lucien back to life and leave us all alone." Anya told him, facing him as well.

"I want the cage, as well. Where did you hide it?" Cronus asked.

Isolde felt a flash of anger through her. Lucien had fought to find it and Cronus had demanded it like it was his right. Not a chance.

"You can't have it. That belongs to Lucien. You only get the key." Anya said, cutting off anything Isolde could say.

"Do you want your lover to live?" Cronus asked.

Isolde tensed, her grip on Anya's arm tightening. She knew Cronus would agree but it didn't make her any less angry.

"If he dies, you will never get the key!" Anya told him, lifting Lucien's head and giving him a kiss.

"Much longer, and even I will not be able to bring him back. As weak as he was, it took considerable effort to twine him and the demon together again to sustain Lucien's life a bit longer. Without the key I will gladly pull them apart again." Cronus said.

Isolde snapped. She had felt that pain the first time. If it had hurt her that much, she couldn't imagine how badly it had hurt Lucien and that really pissed her off.

"And whose fault is that, you greedy bastard!?" she snapped at him.

Cronus turned hard eyes on her, but she refused to back down. In the light of her courage, Anya refused to as well.

"I will not cave on this. You may have the key. The cage belongs to Lucien. You once gave me a choice, Lucien or the key. Now I'm giving you the same choice. That is fair. That is just. And I will not budge on this." Anya told him.

Cronus met her gaze, his eyes flicking between the two women.

"Very well." he agreed.

"A deal is reached then. Lucien's life for the key. If after this you take the cage from us, immortals far and wide will know of your dishonor. The Lords of the Underworld will turn against you and do all that they can to free the Greeks. There will be a war at a time when you seek only reverence. I know you consider yourself untouchable and stronger than mere immortal warriors, but know what? You were defeated once. You can be defeated again." Anya told him.

Isolde rocked on her feet as they were suddenly flashed to Lucien's room in Budapest. Lucien was on the bed, breathing and naked, Cronus standing beside him. Isolde leaned against the wall to keep her feet. Anya left them there, flashing away. Cronus turned his eyes to Isolde then and she narrowed her eyes in return.

"You knew of my orders to the warrior, William. Knew of the Hunters on the mountain, where to find the entrance to Hydra's home, knew Death would be unable to return to his body." Cronus stated.

"And?"

"How?"

Isolde squared her shoulders.

"Your All-seeing Eye is not the only one who can peer into the future, Cronus." she replied.

Cronus' eyes widened slightly and then narrowed. She could see into to the future and there was no telling what she knew. He couldn't kill her because there could be something he could use in the future, but he would have to keep a close eye on her. He didn't need her to share with others something that could be dangerous to him.

Anya reappeared then, the cage in hand. He only raised an eyebrow.

"I have kept my end of the bargain." Cronus said.

Anya kissed Lucien and flashed into the cage.

"I'm ready." she told him.

"You want to be locked away? Without the All-Key, you will not be able to escape and anyone who steps inside this room will be able to command you to their will." Cronus told her.

"I know. I love him." Anya replied. "And Isolde would kick anyone's ass who tried."

Isolde grinned a feral looking grin when Cronus looked at her.

"Astounding. And unexpected from one such as you." Cronus said to Anya.

"Let's get this over with. I, Anya, known across the ages as Anarchy, freely give Cronus, king of gods, the All-Key. I do this willingly and with no reservations." Anya said.

Cronus reached into her with a ghostly hand, pulling it back out with an amber light caught in his hand. Anya collapsed as Cronus placed the light over his heart. He smiled in satisfaction as she passed out and Isolde pushed herself from the wall.

"You have the key now. Leave them be." Isolde told him.

Cronus turned to her and Isolde got the impression of a predator stalking its prey, with her being the latter. She had faced it before in a man and had come out on top, if only barely. She was older, stronger, and wiser now. She was also far more vicious then she had been. She tensed up, a wild flash of feral warning in her eyes as she looked at him. If he tried anything she wouldn't kill him, but she would rip him up pretty badly. He would regret meeting her afterward.

"I will be keeping a close eye on you." he told her.

"Creepy much. Sorry but I don't have a thing for men who look like they could be my grandfather." she replied.

She saw the anger flash in his eyes and couldn't help the grin of satisfaction that curved her lips.

"You should watch how you talk to me." he told her.

"I know what I'm dealing with, so no worries. I know more than most, remember that. You don't mess with me, I don't mess with you. Sounds fair enough to me. What says you, dear king of the gods?" she asked.

Cronus stared at her, letting her words tumble around in his head. Isolde didn't back down. She couldn't. This would set the pace for the rest of whatever relationship there was between her and Cronus. Whether that relationship was one where they were enemies at each other's throat or a mutual truce for peace.

"I am inclined to agree...for now." he told her.

"Good. Good day to you, Cronus."

Cronus eyed her for a moment before giving her a curt nod and vanishing. Isolde released a sigh and looked from Anya to Lucien. The two would figure out what to do together. It was time for her to recover. Shadows crept around her and when they spit her back out, she was in her room. Isolde stumbled towards her bed, but didn't make it before sinking to the ground.

Too tired to move, she blacked out in the floor.

-0-0-0-0-

When next she awoke, she was in her bed, her injuries seen to, her clothes swapped out for her favorite sleeping shirt, her head still killing her. Sunlight was filtering in through the open curtains over her window and hit her right in the face. Isolde groaned, squinting against the light and raising an arm to block it. It felt like she was trying to lift a forty pound weight. She found the hand bandaged. She didn't even remember injuring it.

"She's awake!" came one voice.

"Close the curtains." another added.

The curtains were yanked closed, allowing Isolde to drop her arm like it was a lead weight. The bed dipped and Isolde raised her eyes to look up at Anya. If Anya was awake and had her memories that meant Isolde had been sleeping for more than four days. The thought caused Isolde to groan again. Anya instantly smoothed her hair back from her face.

"Hey, chica. You've been asleep for a long time." Anya told her.

"I know. It took Lucien four days to figure out how to get your memories back, so it's sometime after that." Isolde replied.

"A week." Lucien said, appearing beside Anya.

Isolde pressed her hands to her face, another groan sounding from her. She winced at the sharp pain in her hand and dropped it. She felt like crap. Of course she felt a lot better than she had when she had passed out in the first place. She still felt like she could sleep another week and her injuries were obviously taking time to heal.

"A week? Why aren't my injuries healing?" Isolde asked.

"We believe it is because of Hydra's poison. You were human before coming here. Perhaps a bit of that still remains in you and the poison has slowed down your ability to heal." Lucien replied.

"That or the trauma of Death being ripped from Lucien shocked your system." Anya added.

Isolde moved her hands to look at Anya with a questioning look. She hadn't told Anya about being connected to the demons. Anya grinned up at Lucien who gave Isolde an apologetic look. Of course. Lucien had told Anya because there would be no secrets between the two. Oh well. Isolde would have told her, herself, eventually.

"Either way, this sucks. I feel like crap." Isolde replied.

"Don't worry, you'll heal soon." Anya told her, patting an unbandage part of her arm.

"The others? Have they come back yet?" Isolde asked.

"They are on their way home. I do not believe I have to tell you that Aeron is missing." Lucien said.

"No, you don't."

Isolde rubbed at her eyes, fighting off the sleep that was flooding into her once again. Her body wanted to fall back into that dark abyss again, but she wasn't ready for more sleep.

"If you're still tired, go back to sleep." Anya told her.

"Don't wanna. I may sound like a child, but I don't wanna." Isolde replied.

Lucien perched on the edge of the bed behind Anya, leaning around the woman to look at his adopted daughter.

"Baby girl, after Anya traded the key to Cronus and passed out, did he say anything to you?" Lucien asked.

Isolde stopped her rubbing and moved her hands to peer at him. They both knew then that he had and that Isolde wasn't inclined to share.

"What did he say to you?" Lucien asked.

"Nothing really. Only that he was going to be keeping an eye on us."

Us. She had made it sound that way because Cronus would have an active interest in the Lords soon enough. That and she didn't want anyone thinking Cronus was singling her out. They had enough to worry about as it was.

"Nothing else?" Lucien asked.

"No."

Lucien stared at her for a long moment but let it go. Without Gideon around, he wouldn't know if she was lying.

"Alright. Rest. The sooner you feel better the sooner the others stop worrying." Anya told her.

"Yes, Mother."

Anya grinned at Isolde's smart remark and gave her a light flick of the nose.

"Don't sass your mother." Anya told her.

"I bet you sassed yours!" Isolde replied.

"That's different. I'm Anarchy. Do as I say, not as I do." Anya told her.

"I never do as I'm told. Ask Daddy. He's had firsthand experience."

Anya looked at Lucien as he heaved a sigh. He had more experience with Isolde's stubbornness then he cared for. The only time she did as told was when she had something to gain from it. Otherwise she was more likely to flip the person off and tell them to go fuck themselves. It was actually quite amusing to watch her and Torin go at it in those cases. Both had a wicked sense of humor and could sling the smart-ass remarks with ease.

"Rest, Isolde. We'll talk again when you feel better." he told her.

Isolde smiled at the two, more than happy to follow this order.

"Yeah, sure. Don't throw any parties while I'm out." Isolde told them, her eyes already sliding close.

Lucien and Anya chuckled at her.

"Deal."

The promise from Lucien was the last thing she heard before she fell back into that dark abyss of sleep.

-0-0-0-0-

Jump, jump, jump.

The chant in his head urged Reyes closer to the edge of the roof, the rocks below promising the pain he currently craved. The last few weeks had been hell, his need for pain more than usual. The demon snarled at him, demanding the jump, demanding the pain it needed to survive. Reyes muttered something along the lines of hoping the fall would finally send the demon back to hell before he leaned forward, ready to fall.

"Come down from there."

Lucien's voice had him correcting his balance, but he didn't turn to face the warrior.

"That's the plan, coming down. Leave and I'll see that it gets done." Reyes replied.

"You know what I meant. I need to talk to you." Lucien told him.

"We'll talk tomorrow."

"We'll talk now. Afterward, you may do whatever you please."

Reyes ran his tongue over his teeth, feeling a great deal of guilt.

"I'm in a bad place right now, Lucien." he told his friend.

"As are the others. As am I."

"You, at least, have a woman to comfort you."

"You have friends. You have me. Talk to me."

Reyes wasn't in the habit of denying his friend, didn't like to, but he swore to himself that it was better that he didn't talk to Lucien about this. He started to say something, but cut off, growling to himself as he did.

"The tracking dye has worn off and no one knows where Aeron is. No one knows what he's doing, if he's the one who slaughtered those humans in the States. Maddox said he called you right after Aeron escaped the dungeon. Then Sabin told me you left Rome and the Temple of the Unspoken Ones in a hurry. Want to tell me where you went?" Lucien asked.

"No. But you may rest assured Aeron is no longer able to slaughter humans. And there is someone who knows. Go ask Isolde."

"You know she can't answer direct questions about the future. I have already tried. She has only told me what the others have told me and that if I want answers, they will come from you."

Of course she had. Isolde would never answer a direct question about the future but she had no problem ratting out someone else who could answer the question. He would have to thank the girl later.

"And how do you know for sure?" Lucien asked.

Reyes simply shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't going to do as Isolde predicted and tell.

"Why don't I tell you what I think happened? You went after Aeron, hoping to protect the girl. Well?"

"You're right. I went after Aeron." Reyes admitted.

"You found him."

"I found him. I also...destroyed him."

Reyes heard the crunch of Lucien's booted feet as he approached, but still didn't turn to look at him.

"You killed him?" Lucien asked.

"Worse. I buried him."

"You buried him but did not kill him? I do not understand."

Looked like Reyes was going to do as Isolde predicted after all.

"He was about to kill Danika. I could see the torment in his eyes and knew he did not want to do it. I cut him down to slow him and he thanked me, Lucien. Thanked me. He begged me to stop him permanently. He begged me to take his head. But I couldn't do it. I raised my sword, but I just couldn't do it. So I had Kane collect Maddox's chains and bring them to me. Since Maddox no longer needs them, I used them to lock Aeron underground." Reyes admitted.

"Where is Aeron, Reyes?" Lucien asked sternly.

It was a tone that didn't frighten Reyes, though it would have a lesser man. Reyes idly suspected that Isolde and Lucien's own woman, Anya, would laugh at him if he had used such a tone on them. Isolde for sure since she knew the man would never raise a finger against him, even if she stabbed him in the chest and laughed in his face.

"That, I will not tell you. Aeron doesn't wish to be freed." Reyes replied, not that he would have freed Aeron even if he did want to be.

"I can find him on my own. You know I can."

"You have already tried and failed or you would not be here."

"You're right. His trail ends in New York. I could continue my search, but that would take time. And time is something none of us can spare right now. Already two weeks have passed." Lucien told him. "Tell me where he is and I'll bring him to the fortress. I'll bolt him inside the dungeon."

Reyes snorted at that one.

"He escaped once. He could escape again. Even from Maddox's chains, I'm thinking. His bloodlust gives him strength I've never encountered before. Better he stay where he is." Reyes told him.

"He's your friend. He's one of us."

"He's warped now, and you know it. Most of the time, he is not aware of his own actions. He would kill you if given the chance."

"Reyes-"

"He'll destroy her, Lucien."

That was Reyes whole reason, he knew, and he felt even more guilt for having left his friend like that when the other man had asked him to end it, to kill him. What kind of friend did that?

"Do you know where the girl is?" Lucien asked.

"No, I do not. I have tried to get the information out of Isolde, but you know her stubbornness." Reyes answered truthfully. "Aeron found her, I found Aeron, and that's when we fought. She ran. I didn't follow her afterward. She could be anywhere by now."

"Lucien, man, what's taking so damn long?"

Reyes finally turned when he heard Paris. The man now stood beside Lucien.

"I don't recall deciding to throw a party up here." Reyes said.

"Well, old age will wipe your memory like that. Remember, we need to discuss our next plan of action? Among other things." Paris replied.

"Why aren't you out researching Hydra's hiding places?" Reyes asked after heaving a sigh.

Paris didn't answer a first, pain flashing through his eyes only to be quickly replace.

"Well?" Reyes prompted.

"Even immortals need coffee breaks." was Paris' reply.

"Yes, but when faced with extinction, coffee breaks lose their importance. And yes, I realize I need to do more for our cause. I will. After." Reyes told him.

"I'm doing what I can. The U.S. is a huge damn place and studying it from afar is almost as difficult as navigating its lands amidst all those people." Paris said with a shrug. "Did he tell you where Aeron is or what?"

"No. He didn't." Lucien replied.

"Told you he'd be difficult. He hasn't been himself for weeks." Paris remarked.

Reyes was half tempted to use one of Isolde's favorite phrases and tell Paris that "that was the pot calling the kettle black".

"We're running out of time, Reyes. Cooperate. Help us." Paris told him.

"Hunters are more determined than ever to end us. Humans have discovered the Unspoken Ones' temple, limiting our access yet increasing that of the Hunters. We've only found one artifact out of four, but all are supposedly needed to locate the box." Lucien added.

"You think Aeron can help with any of that?" Reyes asked, arching a brow.

"No, but we do not need discord among us. Nor do we need the distraction of worrying about him." Lucien replied.

"You can stop worrying. He doesn't want to be found. He hates who and what he is and he hates us seeing him like that. I swear to you, he's content where he is or I would not have left him."

The door flew open then, admitting Sabin to their party.

"For fuck's sake. What the hell's going on?" Sabin asked, before spotting Reyes and rolling his eyes. "Damn, Pain, you sure know how to spoil a meeting."

"Why aren't you researching Rome?" Reyes asked.

He didn't get his answer as Gideon joined them.

"My, my, how fun this looks." he remarked.

"Shouldn't you be helping Paris research the States? This is starting to feel like a damned circus. Can't a man do a little sulking and self-mutilation in private?" Reyes demanded.

"No, he can't. Stop stalling, and stop changing the subject. Give us the answers we want or, I swear to the gods, I'm coming up there and laying a big wet one right on your mouth. My boy is hungry and looking to feed. He thinks you'll do just fine." Paris said.

"Okay that was something I didn't need to hear."

The men parted, showing Isolde as she walked out onto the roof. Reyes deflated. She was one of the few people he couldn't be mad at.

Well...couldn't **stay** mad at.

The girl had just finally completely healed where she could get out of bed, but was still walking a little gingerly, favoring her left foot after taking a vicious bite from a Hydra head to that foot. She looked better now than she had when he had first arrived home. When he first got back she had been out cold, sleeping for days on end while her system fought of the poison and the shock of having felt Death being ripped apart from Lucien and woven back together. Her skin had been pale, dark circles marring the flesh under her eyes, but now she looked healthy once more.

He was glad, if not annoyed that she still wouldn't answer questions. Lucien had come to accept it after having a huge fight with her in Greece, but Reyes wasn't sure he wanted to accept it just yet. The girl's eyes locked in on him then and she gave him a knowing smile.

"You guys, leave him alone. He really needs this, believe me." she told the men as Paris leaned over to give her a kiss on the crown of the head.

At least one person was on his side.

"I need time to think." Reyes added, cutting off anything that could be said to her comment.

"There's nothing to think about. You will do what's right because you're an honorable warrior." Sabin told him.

The man ignored Isolde's comment. He hadn't come to completely accept Isolde or her knowledge. Or even the fact that his demon seemed to like her. In fact he tended to avoid her. Most of the men knew it hurt Isolde's feelings that Sabin regarded her as such, but she respected the warrior's wishes and usually kept away from him.

Reyes growled at Sabin when doubts, more than just his own, filled his head.

"Sabin, stop sending doubts into my mind. I have enough of my own."

"Sorry."

"Since our meeting is clearly not canceled, I'm not heading into the city, not visiting Club Destiny, and not screwing a few screams of pleasure out of a human female." Gideon said.

"Again, not something I wanted to hear." Isolde remarked.

"Don't cancel the meeting. Just...start without me. I'll be down in a few." Reyes said.

"Down. Funny. Maybe I'll meet you down there and we can play Hide-the-Pancreas again. Forcing you to completely regenerate rather than simply heal always amuses me." Paris said, even getting a grin out of Lucien.

"Oh, oh, I wanna play! Can I hide his liver this time?" Anya said, joining in and throwing herself at Lucien.

Isolde side stepped the flying goddess, letting Lucien catch her. The two acted like a pair of lovesick idiots for a moment.

Sabin coughed.

Paris whistled.

Isolde rolled her eyes.

"Someone gather the others, we'll make this a reunion." Reyes retorted sarcastically.

"You can shut it, Painie. You're wasting Lucien's time, and that seriously irritates me." Anya told him.

"He and I have already spoken. He has the information he desired." Reyes replied.

"Not all of it." Lucien insisted.

"Tell him or I'll push you. And then I swear to the gods-bastards that they are-that while you're recovering and unable to stop me I'll find your little girlfriend and mail you one of her fingers." Anya threatened.

Isolde groaned, slapping a hand to her face.

"You will not touch her." Reyes all but growled.

"Watch your tone." Lucien warned.

"You don't even know where she is." Reyes added more calmly.

"I may not, but my darling daughter does." Anya told him, giving Isolde a wink.

Reyes had been surprised to find out that after getting together, Lucien and Anya had then decided that Isolde was going to be their daughter. The girl had accepted her two new parents, actually seemed really happy with the choice, but Reyes doubted Isolde would tell Anya anything about Danika that she wouldn't tell him.

"Anya." Reyes warned her.

"What?" Anya replied in all innocence.

"Aeron needs to be with us." Lucien piped in.

"Aeron is no longer up for discussion. You weren't there. You didn't see the torment in his eyes. You didn't hear the pleading in his tone. I did what I had to do, and I'd do it again." Reyes told him, turning to look back down at the ground far below.

"You know what, let me get this whole conversation to its end point for all of us so we can move on." Isolde remarked.

Reyes didn't turn to see what she was doing but he heard the warning in Lucien's tone as he spoke the girl's name. Before he could turn to find out what she was doing, he felt a small foot pant itself in his lower back and shove him from the roof.

"You're welcome!" Isolde called down after him.

He was really going to have to bend that girl over his knee and give her a spanking. Something. She knew how he felt about others helping in his pain, and had shoved him off the roof anyway. He was going to teach her a lesson.

Isolde peered over the edge of the roof before turning back to the others and raising an eyebrow as they stared at her.

"What? He was about to jump anyhow. Oh! I forgot to tell him what I came up here to tell him." Isolde remarked turning and cupping her mouth to yell down at Reyes, "Hey Reyes! I forgot to tell you...for the next few weeks, I'm going to be sticking to you like glue."

The groan that echoed up to her, was answer enough for her. Isolde grinned and turned away from the roof edge, whistling under her breath as she walked past the others, her long and dark hair trailing out behind her. Sometimes they wondered about Isolde. She seemed all too happy to cause them torment in some way or the other. First it had seemed to be pretty equal between Aeron, Maddox, Lucien, Torin, Paris, and Reyes, then she had focused on Lucien as Anya had come into their lives. Now she was going to focus on Reyes.

That didn't bode well.


	19. Damsel in Distress

Author's Note: And I'm back! I have another chapter for you and then I have to get back to work on writing more chapters. So please, enjoy and review. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or any of it's characters. I would hug Kane and never let him go if I did. That man would be mine!

Chapter 19 Damsel in Distress

"Go away, Isolde."

Isolde grinned. She was perched on the arm of the couch, bare feet sitting on the couch cushion as she watched Reyes dig a blade into his arm. Truthfully, it hurt her to watch him do it. It actually made her arm hurt in sympathy. But she had promised him she was going to stick to him and that she was going to do. She knew what was about to unfold for him.

"Go back to the kitchen." Reyes told her for the tenth time in as many minutes.

"Nope. I told you, I'm sticking to you like glue." she informed him.

Reyes shot her a glare but the sharp look was lost on Isolde who was obviously taking oblivious lessons from her new adoptive mama. Reyes swore Isolde had gotten worse since Anya had taken over as her mother.

"For gods' sakes, why?" he demanded.

"You'll find out why soon enough. Until then I'm content to sit back in watch you." Isolde told him. "Don't worry, you aren't going to be the only one I do this too. It just means something more interesting is going to be happening to you."

More interesting she said. That was Isolde Code for his life was about to go further to hell then it already was. And he had the sneaky suspicion that she was going to enjoy every minute of it.

"Just stop groaning. Because of you, I'm craving pain. Pushing you from the roof was the best thrill I've had in days." Isolde added, her grin widening.

Pain purred inside Reyes' head. The man had a feeling that Isolde had given up on fighting their demons when they got out of hand. She had tried with Death while she had been gone with Lucien looking for the cage and had ended up driven nearly insane with the need to kill and had used her new found ability with shadows to transport herself to Hunter hideouts and kill Hunters.

"I know where your woman is."

Lucien's sudden arrival kept Reyes from replying to the girl. Reyes stiffened, pausing in digging a blade into his arm. He ripped the weapon free.

"Really? So do I!" Isolde retorted, with fake cheer.

Both men ignored her. When she got into these kinds of moods there was no point in replying to her. It just encouraged her to be worse.

"Nothing to say to me?" Lucien asked.

"You're as bad as Gideon."

Isolde turned to look at Lucien, shrugging her shoulders. She spread her hands in a gesture that said, "What can you do?".

"As if I would lie." Lucien retorted.

Reyes didn't say anything, his attention, instead, going to the plans the others were making to raid the temple of the Unspoken Ones.

"Reyes, we were discussing Danika." Lucien said.

"No, we weren't."

"Shall I tell you what I know about her?" Lucien asked.

"Yes you shall, Daddy." Isolde said for him, making Lucien grin when she called him daddy.

Apparently the man loved being a father more then he thought and was taking to being Isolde's like a fish takes to water. Whenever she referred to him as her father, he always got a grin on his face.

"Tell me." Reyes commanded.

"Three days ago, she stabbed a man."

Reyes snorted. "Please. Now I'm sure you are lying."

"When I have never lied to you before?" Lucien asked.

"How do you know she harmed a man?" Reyes asked.

"More than harmed. She killed him. The victim lingered in the hospital for two days and only died this morning." Lucien told him.

"Some victim. He was a Hunter and she did it in self-defense." Isolde retorted.

"What!"

Reyes was on his feet in a second flat. Isolde lift her feet off the couch cushion to keep from being bounced off the arm. She shivered as his anger, and therefore Pain's need for harm, struck her strong through the link between her and Pain.

"Was she hurt? Did they touch her?" Reyes demanded.

"As I escorted the Hunter's soul to hell, I saw the last few acts of his life inside my mind." Lucien continued as if Reyes had not spoken.

"Was. She. Hurt?"

"Yes."

Isolde's grip tightened on the arm of the couch. Pain was reaching out, claws extended, to touch her mind. She could handle it, would have to if she wanted to stick to Reyes during this whole trail with Danika. Pain was urging her to hurt and Isolde finally snarled at the demon, telling the creature to sit it's ass down and shut the hell up. Pain shrank back, whimpering. Reyes was too caught up in his anger to notice either of them.

"Is she-" Reyes started but couldn't finish.

"No. She is not dead."

Reyes' shoulders sagged in relief.

"Were any other Hunters involved?" Reyes asked.

"Yes."

"How many?"

"One. She broke his nose."

"On purpose?"

"Of course on purpose." Isolde said. "She was kidnapped, of course she's going to hurt the next person to try to hurt her."

Reyes spared Isolde a glance, noting that the girl had her nails dug into the arm of the couch. She looked half tempted to dig them into him instead. Use him as her kitty scratching post. His demon would have thanked her for it, but Reyes turned his attention back to Lucien.

"Where is she?"

"We're traveling to Rome in less than a week to search the temple again. We need those artifacts." Lucien said instead of answering.

"I know."

"I want Aeron brought here before we leave."

"You want to place the entire household in danger, then. You want to ignore Aeron's wishes to appease your own."

"He is one of us. He needs us now more than ever." Lucien replied.

Reyes stalked out of the room. Isolde hopped off the couch and joined Lucien, taking hole of his wrist before he flashed. They were waiting outside Reyes' bedroom when he came down the hall.

"I will not give up. That should please you. I would not give up were the situation reversed and it was your life I fought for." Lucien told him.

Isolde stepped aside as Reyes shouldered past Lucien and into his room. Instantly she darted into Reyes's room and was sitting on the foot of his bed, crossing her left leg over the right. Reyes caught sight of the pair of fang marks on her left foot that had been left from the poisoned bite Hydra had given her foot.

"The others feel as I do and are angry about your refusal to speak of Aeron. I have asked them for a few days to talk some sense into you. After that..."

Lucien trailed off. He didn't need to finish for Reyes to know that the others would constantly be at his throat after that.

"Isolde doesn't speak of several things." Reyes pointed out.

"And Sabin hates me. I fear a few of the others do as well." Isolde said, fighting to cover the hurt in her tone.

Isolde, young as she was, was a fighter, a warrior in her own right, through and through. Reyes had found out quick that she fought for what she considered hers, ripped through enemy after enemy if pissed off, and never faltered once she made a choice. Her stubbornness matched theirs and was perhaps even greater. Her need to hold onto all that was hers with a white knuckled grip, greater than any he had ever seen.

And then there was her pride.

Letting anyone know they had hurt her, allowing herself to be hurt, was something she didn't do easily. That someone's opinion of her hurt her, showed how much she valued that person's opinion. And Sabin's opinion of her had struck the girl's heart hard.

It made Reyes want to hurt Sabin for making her feel that way.

But he didn't reply to the comment. To point out how much it hurt her was to invite her wrath. That was something he didn't want. He had been on the receiving end of her fury when she was under the influence of Violence, Wrath, and Pain, all at the same time. She had laid into him until her knuckles had broken, the skin had split, and she could no longer work her fingers.

Not again.

Instead, he checked the magazine of his Sig Sauer.

"Going to find her, guns blazing?" Lucien asked.

"If necessary." Reyes replied.

"You don't know where to go." Lucien told him.

"That won't stop me. I will find her. And more than likely, Isolde will follow me. She will point me true one way or the other. She can't stand to see any of us fail."

Lucien glanced at Isolde who shrugged. She would and she wouldn't deny it. She wouldn't flat out tell Reyes where to go but she would give him hints.

"She will not go if it will not benefit the future she knows." Lucien told him.

It was the truth. Reyes knew it.

Once again, Isolde didn't deny it.

"I can flash you to her. You can be with her, saving her, in seconds." Lucien added.

Isolde watched Reyes as he placed his hands flat on the table and hung his head. She knew he was weighing his options. She could almost see the gears ticking in his head. Lucien stepped up in front of Reyes then.

"Give me your hand." Lucien told him.

Reyes blinked in surprise but held out his hand anyway. He trusted Lucien with his life. Isolde watched Reyes tense, his eyes closing in an almost blissful look. He was experiencing pain, she knew. She could hear his demon purring in her head. That purring quickly turned to a roar of anger that bounced around her head like a Ping-Pong ball. Isolde knew what he saw.

"She does not look well." Lucien said, releasing Reyes and stepping away. "The longer she is with them, the more harm they can do to her. I followed the dead Hunter's body to a funeral home, stayed there in spirit form and watched as Hunters came to visit. They unknowingly led me straight to Danika. They know she killed their friend. Apparently they've had her since the night of the stabbing. They have her chained to a bed and have kept her asleep. She is unable to fight them like that, is helpless, vulnerable, a-"

"Yes!" Reyes said, cutting Lucien off. "Yes. Give me Danika and I will give you Aeron. But I will have your word that when he is brought here, he will be given the solitude he craves."

"You have it. Know that I do this partly because Anya thinks Danika can lead us to one of the artifacts." Lucien told him.

"In a way, she's right." Isolde remarked idly.

Both men looked at her, but she was too busy scanning Reyes walls and Reyes knew what thoughts ran through her head. Isolde had a bad habit of pilfering weapons off of all of the warriors. Even Torin. Though, how she managed it without skin to skin contact and without the warrior knowing, was beyond all of them. Reyes knew she was picking out what weapons on his wall, she wanted to take.

He saw her eyes landed on, and stay on, a knife with a bronze blade and a metallic blue hilt wrapped in silver wire with a sapphire sat in the end. Her eyes blazed and he knew if he didn't give it to her, it would end up in her hands anyhow.

Best to knock out the middle man.

Reyes turned and walked to the wall while Lucien turned back to him.

"And doubt me not. When the girl is here, I will use her to find it." Lucien promised.

"And doubt me not. I am not myself when I am with her and do not know how I will react if you willingly place her in harm's way." Reyes told him as he took the knife off the wall and grabbed a leather sheath.

He slid the blade into the sheath and turned, catching the disappointed look on Isolde's face. She probably thought he meant to hide it from her or keep it for himself. The disappointment on her face put a small ache in his chest. His demon purred as he tossed the blade at her. Reyes felt a small spark of joy in his chest take over when her face lit up brightly, a true smile curving her mouth and bringing out the dimples in her cheeks. Reyes gave her a small smile in return and turned back to Lucien.

"Take me to her." he demanded.

"First tell me you understand that we might save her now, only to lose her later. I will not have you blame me if-"

"She will not die. No more talking. Take me to her." Reyes said cutting him off.

"Just so you know, I'm going too."

Lucien and Reyes looked at Isolde as she placed her left foot on the edge of the bed and strapped the new knife to the exposed skin at the bottom of her jean shorts that darkened from a pale, almost pink, red at the waist to a dark, blood red at the hem where it ended just an inch past the curve of her ass. She leaned back on her hands, stretching out the leg to eye the blade. Zebra streaked, dark locks fell around her, framing her as she grinned in satisfaction.

"Isolde-" Lucien started.

Sharp eyes landed on him.

"I'm going. Pain is about to drive me out of my mind. I need to hurt someone. Besides, I can help scout." she told him.

There was no arguing with Isolde. If they tried to leave her behind, she would just follow them. After all, she knew where they were heading. They couldn't use the argument that she could be hurt or killed. Isolde didn't look like much, especially not in her short, jean shorts, and the flowing, black, strapless top that didn't cover nearly enough skin, but she was downright feral and vicious when she fought. She could take care of herself.

Both men heaved a sigh, Lucien rubbing a hand down his face.

"Fine." Lucien agreed.

Isolde grinned as she hopped off the bed.

"I'll go get Paris, Sabin, Cameo, Strider, and Anya." she told them.

Lucien raised an eyebrow at her.

"I know who you were going to ask." was her only reply before she was out the door.

Isolde, after stopping by her room to grab her boots, took the shortest way to the kitchen, stepping into a shadow and out into the kitchen. Everyone rounded on her, reaching for weapons at her sudden appearance.

"What's up, Chuck." Isolde greeted, waving the tips of the fingers of her right hand at them.

All of the warriors relaxed, Sabin shooting her a sharp look. Isolde was well aware that while the demon of Doubt adored her-for her courage to throw doubts back at it, as well as her smart mouth-, the keeper of Doubt hated her. For various reasons. One being that she knew more about his future than he did and he didn't like that. Another being her smart-ass mouth. Apparently not everyone liked it when she smarted off to them at every turn.

Go figure.

"Do you always have to do that?" Sabin asked.

"Seeing how I'm a bitch and I like being a bitch...yeah, I do." Isolde retorted, giving him a wide smile when he just glared at her. "You know, I'm more then capable of being nice to you, but since you aren't nice to me, I can't seem to put in the effort. Go figure."

Sabin growled under his breath.

"I thought you were sticking to Pain." Sabin replied.

"I am. That's why I'm here. Don't worry, your turn is coming up quick." Isolde told him, waving a hand at him before turning to Strider and Cameo.

"Strider, Cameo, Lucien needs the two of you and Sabin to join him, Reyes, Anya, Paris, and I. We're going on a Hunter raid. Gear up, I gotta go fetch Paris." she told them, before melting into the shadows before anyone could reply.

Isolde popped back out of the shadows in an alley in the city. She found Paris leaving a hotel. His demon was sated and over joyed at her approach, but Paris still looked like crap. Isolde was the only one who knew why. He looked up as she approached him, and opened his arms for her to walk into. Isolde did so, happily.

Isolde, if asked, would say that after Lucien, she was the closest to Paris. Maybe it was because she understood perfectly well what it was like to have his demon, even if she never had to go through the same experience. Or maybe it was because she was the only person in the world the demon didn't want sexually, she didn't know. And she didn't care. She loved Paris like a beloved older brother and would be there for him as long as he wanted her there.

Both Paris and the demon heaved a sigh when he hugged her. Isolde had a somewhat calming effect on them. She was glad to help.

"What are you doing here, baby girl?" Paris asked.

"I know you're in a bad place, Paris, and aren't yourself, but Lucien needs you for a fight. Hunters have Danika and we're going to get her." Isolde told him, wrapping an arm around his waist as he draped an arm around her shoulders.

The two started walking, Isolde pulling her sunglasses off the top of her head and placing them over her eyes. Paris heaved a sigh.

"Should have known you would know." he remarked.

"Yeah, I do. Are you good to go?"

"Itching for a fight, baby girl?"

"Reyes' demon is about to drive me insane. I need some kind of fight before I start hurting all of you."

Paris gave her shoulders a squeeze.

"Yeah, I'm in. I'll even help you nail a couple Hunters." Paris told her.

"I think I can handle that on my own. But I can always use a good fighter at my back. How about this, you have my back, I'll have yours." Isolde offered.

"Deal."

Isolde let Paris drive back on his own since she still had to change and weapon up. Once she stood in her room, she striped and pulled on what Anya had deemed her ass-kicker clothes; tight, leather shorts that ended just below the curve of her ass, a black halter top that left her back and sides open, giving her easy access to the knives and guns strapped there, and black, thigh-high stockings with black boots strapped on over it that had shiny silver buckles up the sides.

She was pulling on her biker mitts and securing the neck tie on her halter top when Strider knocked and pushed open the door.

"Someone looks ready to kick ass." he remarked.

"Yep. These are my ass-kicker clothes. Or at least that's what Anya calls them." Isolde replied, pulling her hair up into a high pony tail.

"Have I told you how much I like your tattoos?" Strider asked, his eyes sweeping from the glittery silver butterfly on Isolde ribs, which he could only see half of, to the glittery orange one flying over her left collar bone to her shoulder.

Isolde looked at him before focusing her attention on the mirror of her vanity. Satisfied with her hair she checked all her weapons once more.

"What, jealous that yours isn't as great as mine?" she teased.

Strider snorted.

"Yeah, right."

"Oh, that's right, it's not the tattoo that isn't as great as mine, and it's the canvas. Must suck not to have the looks I do." Isolde said, turning to look at him, hands on hips.

Strider raised an eyebrow at her.

"You haven't seen me naked. You'd change your mind then." he told her.

"Yeah, no. I know **exactly** where Stridey Monster has been. Thanks, but no thanks."

"You'd like it."

"No doubt. You're welcome to try to change my mind, and no that isn't a challenge."

Isolde said the last part to Defeat who had perked up at her words. She added a "down boy" to the demon who sulked. It obviously wanted her to challenge them. Strider leaned against the door jam, watching her as she slid knives into their sheaths, strapping them to her legs and sides before checking her guns and pocketing a couple extra magazines of bullets.

"I like the way you handle my demon. I've never experienced him sulking before." Strider remarked.

"Yeah, well yours isn't the only one that sulks when I refuse them."

"Really? Who else's?"

"Well, Pain and Violence whimper, Death, Disease, and Promiscuity grumble, Misery whines, Disaster and Wrath do the equivalent of screaming and cursing at me, Lies and Secrets do the sulking, and the creepiest of them all is Doubt, who just chuckles."

Strider grinned. He still found it amazing that someone else besides him could hear Defeat. It was even more amusing when out of the blue, in a room crowded with the warriors, Isolde would start scolding one of the demons. It was always fun for them to guess which one it was. Most of the time though, it seemed to be Paris' or Reyes' demons.

"And why don't you challenge me then?" Strider asked. "Afraid to lose?"

"Not really. I don't like to lose. My pride won't let me. Back home, losing meant pain and humiliation. I can't bring myself to lose and I don't want to be the cause of you hurting like that. If I challenged you and ended up in the winning position, it would be very hard for me to throw it and you would end up in pain. I'd rather not."

So she was thinking about him as well as her own pride. It put a grin on his face that she even considered his own wellbeing. Then she added in the next sentence and Strider lost his grin.

"It would make Sabin hate me even more."

Strider, like pretty much all of the warriors, knew that Sabin didn't like Isolde, had a hard time accepting that the girl knew so much about all of them. He also knew that it made the girl very insecure around Sabin. Not that she would ever let him know it. She would lose any and all respect from the warrior if he knew.

"But that doesn't matter. We have a fight to get to." Isolde said, turning to him and pushing him out of her room.

Strider let her push him. He slung an arm around her as they headed down the hall.

"Well if you need anyone to watch you're back, I'd be more than happy to." Strider remarked, leaning back to peer at her butt.

Isolde rolled her eyes at him and gave him an elbow to the ribs.

"Paris already has that job. You'd watch my ass more than the enemy."

"Not true! I'd only watch it a little."

Isolde gave him another elbow, this time to the kidney and he actually winced slightly, rubbing his side.

"What would you do if I actually gave in to your flirts and agreed to sleep with you?" she asked.

"I'd rock your world."

Isolde rolled her eyes again.

"You do realize how incredibly awkward that would be considering we live together and I **know** you don't do relationships." she told him.

Strider thought about this. She had a point. He didn't do relationships and just sleeping together would be awkward.

"Then again, Cameo pulled it off with Kane and would have continued to pull it off if it wasn't for their demons. And she seems to be getting along fine with her new beau for now." Isolde added in afterthought.

Strider raised an eyebrow at her. Cameo had a new beau? That was new to him. He half wondered who it was.

"Is that a yes?" he asked.

"That is a keep trying. Just remember, I know all the girls you end up with in the future and know for certain that at least one of them would rip me to shreds if she knew I slept with you. I like my skin on my body, thanks."

"Scared of a few females, huh?"

"This one...kind of. She'd burn my ass."

Strider wasn't sure what to make of this, but it was more then he usually got from her. He didn't know how he felt about the idea of a possessive female in his future but would worry about that when it came to it. Until then, he could still flirt with Isolde.

The two finally joined the others down stairs, Paris wedging his way between Strider and Isolde while Lucien shot Strider a hard look. Lucien flashed them all to their location, taking Reyes last. Isolde remained standing next to Anya, watching the others stalk the building.

"Where are the Hunters?" some of them muttered.

"Not here." Isolde answered for Lucien.

"Where are we?" Reyes asked.

"The States. L.A. is my guess. No place else has the stench of Hollywood." Sabin remarked.

"Correct." Lucien said with a nod.

"Hunters have a large faction here." Isolde remarked.

"A faction I despise with every ounce of my being. The leader and I have history, and he despises me, too, so be ready for anything. He joined the Hunters after his wife and I..." Sabin trailed off with a shrug.

"You were together and things ended badly because of your demon. He joined the Hunters and has been after you since." Isolde supplied for him.

Sabin looked at her, but for once, his look wasn't sharp. He nodded to show she had it right. Isolde inwardly cheered that he hadn't snapped at her. That cheer was ruined though when Pain started it's prowling, growing louder and needier with each denial of release from Reyes. Isolde went stiff and started flexing her fingers ready to hurt Hunters.

"The girl is being held one street over. Innocents fill the area, so we will have to be careful. Isolde that means keeping your eyes their normal color." Lucien said.

All eyes shifted to Isolde, whose eyes were starting to leech of the blue. Isolde grumbled and pulled her sunglasses out of her pocket and jammed them on her face.

"Earlier today, there were twenty-three in the building." Lucien continued on.

"They multiply like rabbits." Sabin said.

"I would have said flies. Fits them better." Isolde remarked, actually getting a grin from Sabin.

"My point is, there could be a hundred more by now." Sabin added.

"We have several hours until nightfall. I will flash to the building, remain in the spirit world and listen. Isolde will go with me, using her shadows and we will observe. We need to know what she's told them, and we need to know what they're planning." Lucien told them.

"We're supposed to stay here? Do nothing?" Reyes asked.

"Yes. If they are monitoring the area, I will disable their computers. Then, at dark, when humans are less likely to notice your height, your build and your weapons and send policemen after you, you will walk there. Isolde and I will be waiting for you in the shadows outside." Lucien answered.

"I'll be sure to keep you all updated until then." Isolde added.

"Isolde. No attacking." Lucien warned her.

"Yes, Daddy." Isolde retorted sarcastically before she melted into shadows.

She reappeared inside the Hunters' hideout, keeping her shadows around her like a cloak. Lucien, still in the spirit realm, appeared next to her. Only she could see him and that was because of her connection to Death. He couldn't see her, but he could sense her. Or, at least Death could. Lucien pointed to the left, meaning for her to go that way. Isolde had Death relay the message that she understood and she started off down the hall, melting through walls and keeping to shadows as she watched the Hunters. None of them spoke, not that that matter to Isolde.

She knew their plan.

Many of the Hunters had left the building, leaving on twelve behind. Isolde found Danika's room easily, peeking in on the woman. She was still asleep, knocked out with drugs. Isolde knew the Hunters had done this so the Lords would take Danika who would then act like a spy for them. It was going to be interesting to watch Danika and Reyes.

Having searched the whole building Isolde met Lucien outside and the two waited at the end of a horrible smelling alley until the others showed up.

"There are private rooms above the public one. She is up there. The men have been strangely silent, almost as if they knew I was there, waiting. Isolde met the same." Lucien told them.

Isolde was quiet where she stood watching the building. In the dark her eyes were flashing between their usual vermilion edged with blue and the crimson red. She was ready for action and the tension was spilling into the others. Cameo laid a hand on her shoulder and could have sworn the girl was vibrating with her tension.

"Is she...still alive?" Reyes asked Lucien, keeping one eye on Isolde.

"Yes." Lucien replied.

"But?"

"She is still sleeping."

As Reyes' fingers tightened around his weapons, Isolde's tension grew. Pain was probably screaming in her head to hurt someone.

"How many Hunters are in the building now?" Reyes asked.

"Twelve." Isolde answered.

"Several have already left." Lucien added.

"Their leader?" Reyes asked.

"One of the absent." Lucien answered. "There is a man who appears to be guarding her. He has barely left her side. He's there now, watching her sleep."

"Has he...did he...touch her?" Reyes asked.

"Not in anger."

"Was she raped?"

"I do not kn-"

"No." Isolde said, interrupting Lucien.

That didn't change how Reyes felt.

"He is mine. No one else even approaches him." Reyes said.

The others didn't argue. Isolde was just ready to hurt someone other than her friends.

"Very well. The time for battle has arrived."

That was all Lucien had to say. Reyes pushed past the others, Isolde hot on his heels. She was at his side when he pushed open the door and a man behind the counter looked up, freezing the moment he laid eyes on Reyes.

"Where is she?" Reyes asked.

"You killed my son, demon." the man replied.

"I've never met your son, Hunter." Reyes told him.

"You're a cancer upon this earth, all of you, and you're responsible for every dea-"

"Oh shut the hell up and raise the gun in your hand so I can kill you." Isolde snapped at the man, knives already in her hands.

The man flicked a shocked look at her before lifting the semiautomatic with an attached silencer. That was all the prompting Isolde needed. The man shot, hitting Reyes in the shoulder, just as Isolde shot forward, flying over the counter. She hit the man full bodily, knocking him to the ground. A kick knocked the gun out of his hand as she planted a knee in the side of his head, pinning it to the ground. He tried to push her off, drew a dagger and drove it into her calf but the pain just sent a rush of adrenaline into her system, courtesy of Pain.

Isolde twirled a blade in her hand before stabbing. Once, twice, three times. Each stab hit a vital spot and when she withdrew her blade after the third strike, the man was no longer breathing. Isolde dug his blade out of her calf and stood.

"Jeez. Try to save some for the rest of us." Sabin muttered as he passed Isolde to a door.

"Sorry, I'll try my hardest." Isolde retorted sarcastically, making Sabin look at her.

He actually couldn't help a small smile when she flashed her teeth at him, chomping them once in the mimic of a bite. He had no doubt that if he was within reach, he would have gotten a bite taken out of him. Instead he turned to the door and kicked it open, revealing a staircase. He turned to start up the stairs, but Isolde flew past him, sticking her tongue out at him before she vanished. Sabin growled and followed her, Anya just behind him.

Sabin was just steps behind Isolde as she rounded a corner. Following her so not to lose her, he rounded the corner and would have taken a bullet to the brain if Isolde didn't come flying out of a side room and rammed the Hunter. The man went down with her, cursing darkly and firing off a round, right into Isolde's throat. The girl let out a cut of scream of something between fury and pain before slamming a fist into the man's face. She drew her other fist back and punched him again. The third punch drove bone into brain, killing the man and Isolde rose unsteadily to her feet, hands wrapping around her throat.

She staggered and almost toppled over. Sabin caught her, helping her regain her balance. Another Hunter came their way, shouting profanities. Sabin shot him in the heart, before turning to Isolde. The girl opened her mouth, tried to speak but only gurgling noises came out of her mouth. Her breathing was coming in wet wheezes.

He pried her hands away from her throat. The bullet had gone straight through, leaving a jagged hole behind. Sabin was pretty sure that with a hole in her throat, she was having a hard time drawing in air. But she would heal. He had seen her heal from worst injuries. He was also pretty sure she would pass out soon. The lack of proper air would do that.

Sure enough, she sagged against him, fighting to remain conscious.

"Isolde!?"

Anya was at his side then, looking at Isolde, Lucien just behind her.

"Shot in the throat. She took down a Hunter who was aiming for me." Sabin told them.

Lucien took Isolde from Sabin, scooping her up in his arms. Seeing Lucien, Isolde must have felt safe enough for the moment she laid her eyes on Lucien's scarred face, she passed out, going limp in his arms. Half of Sabin wondered why she hadn't felt safe enough to pass out with him. Then again he had never given her a reason to feel safe with him. He was pretty much the only one who seemed to dislike the girl, to feel tense around her and she had picked up on that. In turn, she gave him a hard time and didn't feel comfortable or safe with him. The knowledge shouldn't bother him, but it did.

"I will take her home and have Maddox and Ashlyn look after her." Lucien said, before vanishing.

Anya turned an accusing look on Sabin before shoving past him to return to finding and killing Hunters. It wasn't his fault Isolde had chosen to help him. He hadn't asked her to. Anya probably was going to expect him to thank Isolde or apologize for her getting injured on his behalf.

Muttering to himself, Sabin joined his friends in finishing their job.


	20. Blue Not Red

Author's Note: And hello again, everyone! I have another chapter for you. I hope you all like it. Of course I don't know if any of you who read this like it because none of you ever review and a girl like me, who lives her life to write, lives for her reviews. La sigh! Oh well! Everyone please, **please** , **PLEASE** , enjoy and review. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or any of its characters. I'd make Lucien my father if I did. That would be an awesome mom and dad!

Chapter 20 Blue Not Red

When Isolde awoke, her throat felt like it was on fire. Just trying to swallow had her wanting to cry in pain. What was it with her and injuries since coming here? It was like every turn she took, she acquired a new injury.

Stupid Hunter!

Stupid gun!

Stupid Sabin for almost getting a bullet to the head!

And stupid Isolde for jumping in to help!

She inwardly cursed as the pain drove away all drowsiness. Her eyes snapped open and she found Anya and Ashlyn staring down at her. Both let out relieved sighs when they saw her eyes open. Moving carefully, her neck screaming at her, Isolde eased herself up into a sitting position, sagging back into the pillows. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing wanted to form.

"Don't try talking, chica. You won't be able to until your throat heals. That bullet did a number on your vocal cords." Anya told her.

Isolde mouthed something that looked like cursing before leaning over to her nightstand and pulling out a pen and notebook. She was writing something down when Lucien, Sabin just behind him, came into the room.

"Finally awake, baby girl." Lucien remarked.

Isolde glanced up, held up one finger to tell him to wait, before turning back to the notebook. When she held the notebook up, sprawled across the paper in a neat script, she had written, " _I feel like Torin_ ". The four in the room smiled, even Sabin couldn't help it as he leaned against her door jam. Isolde wrote down something else and showed them.

" _How long was I out?_ "

"Just the night. You've been hurt an awful lot lately." Ashlyn told her.

" _Not unusual for me. I once drove a four-wheeler through a fence and flipped it in a ditch because I hit the front brakes instead of the back brakes._ " Isolde wrote out.

Ashlyn winced. The thought was not pleasant, but it got the point across. Isolde was a magnet for self-injuries. Anya turned to Sabin then, giving him a hard look.

"Don't you have something to say to her?" she asked.

Isolde looked up at Sabin as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"You should thank her for helping you or something." Anya told him.

" _He doesn't have to. There's no reason for it. I only did what any of the others would have done for him. No need to thank me or anything."_ Isolde wrote.

Anya rolled her eyes but didn't argue with Isolde. Isolde just offered her a smile. Sabin had half expected her to demand a thanks as well. After all, that bullet wound to the throat couldn't possibly be comfortable. Isolde usually paid back those who made her uncomfortable. It had technically been his fault. Then again, it had been the Hunter who had shot her, and she had punched him to death.

Literally.

Isolde writing something else, drew Sabin's attention.

" _Danika?_ "

"We have her. Reyes is seeing to her now." Lucien answered.

"Any hints you want to throw our way?" Sabin asked.

Isolde thought for a moment, tapping the pencil against her chin. They could see her mentally shifting through information, trying to decide what would be safe to tell them. Finally her eyes lit up and she started writing again. Though she could translate Amun's sign language, thanks to Cameo's and Kane's help, she sucked at doing it herself. It didn't surprise Sabin that she had resorted to writing instead. He was just grateful she had neat handwriting. Finally Isolde turned the notebook.

" _Don't let Danika go this time. She's important. To all of us. And Aeron will be having a guest soon._ "

Lucien raised an eyebrow at the last part.

"A guest? No hint as to who?" he asked.

His only reply, was one word; " _Legion_.". That didn't really tell them anything. When asked for further hints, Isolde gave them an apologetic smile. That was all the hints she could give them at the moment.

"Well, I'll get the bandages. It's about time we check your neck." Ashlyn said kindly as she got to her feet.

Isolde gave her a grateful smile. Lucien excused himself to have a talk with Reyes, Anya giving Isolde a quick squeeze before following him. Ashlyn was back a second later with bandages. Isolde held still while Ashlyn unwrapped her neck and checked the wound. The hole was scabbed over, but the inside of her throat was probably still pretty tender. Her vocal cords wouldn't work right for another day or two, but if Isolde was her usual stubborn self, she would be talking in the matter of hours. She would be eating liquids for the next few days that was for sure.

Once done, Ashlyn told Isolde to rest and left the room. Isolde leaned to the side, watching Ashlyn as she left and the moment the other woman was gone down the hall, Isolde tossed back her covers and slid out of the bed. She staggered once on her feet but caught her balance.

"She told you to rest." Sabin told her.

Isolde gave him an exasperated look before she headed for her closet. She yanked the over-sized T-shirt she was wearing over her head and tossed it over her shoulder as she vanished into the closet. Sabin remained at the door, watching the closet, watching as, every now and then, a shoe or stocking, or shirt, went flying.

"Listen. Thanks for the help, though you didn't have to do that." Sabin told her.

The clothes stopped flying for a moment and the next thing Sabin knew, his phone vibrated. Sabin pulled it out of his pocket, finding a text message from Isolde. She had found her phone.

" _I thought I said not to thank me. I helped because I knew that a bullet to the head would make you dead to the world for a few hours. Who knows what a Hunter could do to you in that time. You may hate me, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to help you."_

"Hold on a minute. I never said I hated you." Sabin replied.

Isolde leaned out of her closet, cocking an eyebrow up at him before she vanished inside once more. Just how big was her closet? Another text coming in, drew his attention to his phone.

" _Doubt tells me otherwise. He can't lie, just like you."_

Sabin frowned. This was exactly what he hated...Sabin cut himself off in mid thought, catching on to what word he used. So maybe he wasn't the most excited about having someone around who knew everything about him and everything he would do in the future. Who really could be excited about a person knowing their every though and action? But he didn't hate **Isolde**. Just her ability.

"Well he's wrong. I don't hate you. Just what you can do." Sabin told her.

Another shirt went flying out of the closet, hitting the hamper of dirty clothes perfectly. There was quiet before his phone dinged again, announcing the arrival of another text message.

" _Why? It's not like I'm going to use it against you."_

"And if Hunters manage to capture you?" he asked in retort.

The message came before she leaned out to peg him with a hard look.

" _They already did. Once. I didn't tell them anything then and I sure as hell am not going to anytime in the future. I'm not that weak."_

Sabin looked up from the text message just in time for her to flip him off and vanish back into the closet. Okay, so he deserved that one. She had been captured once before and she hadn't said a single word to them about the Lords. On top of that, she had killed every single one of them. A text message lit up his phone before she came out of the closet in a black, sleeveless dress, with a high, zipped up collar that was left unzipped. It hit about mid-thigh where a pair of royal purple stockings took over. No shoes.

Sabin looked down at his phone as she walked past him and out the room.

" _You're just looking for excuses to hate me."_

Sabin growled to himself and turned on his heel to follow her. He wasn't going to let her end this conversation. Not like that. He caught up to her as she headed down the hall.

"That's not true." he told her.

Isolde was already typing the next message. Sabin looked down at his phone and gnashed his teeth together as it read it.

" _If you want to hate me, then go ahead, I'm used to it. But quit trying to come up with excuses. You don't have to have a reason to hate me. So this conversation can end and I'll stay away from you, as you obviously want, unless it's absolutely necessary."_

Sabin stopped in his tracks, looking up at Isolde. Isolde didn't stop though. She headed down the stairs, heading for the kitchen. She didn't need everyone to like her, she had made that clear. She certainly didn't need him to like her. Sabin wanted to hate her, then that was fine. It was his choice. She wasn't going to let it hurt her.

Had it been Lucien, it would have been a different case. She heard Sabin's clomping footsteps as he rushed to catch up with her. He caught her by the arm and spun her around to face him.

"Listen up. I don't hate you. I dislike what you know. No normal person knows that much. Even among immortals." Sabin told her tartly.

In other words, he was calling her a freak.

The thought put a dark frown on her face, her eyes flashing with a hint of danger. Her reply to him was the rudest gesture in her arsenal before she slapped his hand away from her arm and turned on her heel and walked away. Sabin stared at her. He had a pretty good idea where she had learned the gesture, and Strider was going to answer for it, but he couldn't figure out what he could have done to deserve it.

He followed her into the kitchen where he found Reyes, a plate of food in hand. Isolde slid past Reyes, giving him a smile when he stroked a hand over her head, and headed to the fridge, yanking it open to look inside. Sabin decided to focus on Reyes for now. He would talk to Lucien about how to handle Isolde, later.

"Damn, boy. You feeding an army?" Sabin asked.

Reyes looked over his shoulder as Sabin. He glanced back at Isolde, who shrugged her shoulders before turning back to the fridge, her mouth twisting into a frown.

"She is hungry." Reyes told Sabin.

"I guesses. Tiny as she is, I don't think she'll be able to eat all that. Besides, she just spent three days with Hunters. You should starve her, question her about what went down, and only then, when you have answers, should you feed her." Sabin said, moving forward to snag a sandwich.

Reyes caught his wrist, just as Isolde straightened and flipped him off again to show her displeasure with what had just come out of his mouth.

"Make your own or lose the hand. And she is not in league with the Hunters." Reyes told Sabin.

Sabin frowned at the both of them. He was getting a little tired of Isolde flipping him off every chance she got. But he focused on Reyes, arching an eyebrow at him.

"How do you know?" he asked.

"Just stay away from her, and leave the food alone." Reyes replied.

"Since when are you so giving?" Gideon asked, snagging one of the sandwiches anyway, before slinging an arm around Isolde's shoulders, careful of her neck.

"Back off." Reyes growled at them.

Isolde elbowed Gideon as Sabin took a sandwich from Reyes anyway. Anya and Ashlyn arrived then, arm in arm. Ashlyn gave Isolde a stern look, but the girl just grinned in reply, holding her hands up in innocence. An innocence she didn't possess.

"Oh, goodie! Food. I thought I smelled the sweet scent of culinary genius. Not at Isolde's level though." Anya said, flashing Isolde a grin.

"Danika's." Reyes told her, snatching his plate and glass away before anymore could be taken.

"But I really like turkey. Besides, when I slap a sandwich together, it never taste as good as when you do it. There's something so delicious about food prepared by a man." Anya complained.

"Not my problem." Reyes said, trying to move past her but she wouldn't let him. "Lucien will cook something for you."

"He's out collecting souls." Anya replied.

"Paris, then."

"He's doing some chick in town, the nympho."

"Starve or have Isolde do it."

Isolde typed something out on her phone and held it out for Reyes to read. The man bent down to read the screen.

 _I can help make something real quick but I'm about to go into town. I can't eat anything unless it's a liquid right now and we have nothing. I'll drag Gideon with me._

Reyes heaved a sigh.

"You really should wait until Lucien gets back." Reyes told her.

Isolde held up another message for him to read, a frown on her face.

 _I'm not a child! I'll be fine. Like I said, I'll take Gideon._

Reyes shook his head. There was no arguing with Isolde when her mind had been made up. She was too damn stubborn for it. He fixed his eyes on Gideon, who raised one pierced brow at the look.

"You better take care of her." Reyes told him.

Gideon turned a confused look on Isolde who typed out a message and showed him. A grin twisted his lips.

"So a problem. I won't go with you." he told her.

Isolde grinned at him, holding up a hand and getting a high-five from the blue haired warrior. It always surprised Reyes how quickly Isolde made friends with people. Well...most people. He caught the frown on Sabin's face as he looked at the girl.

"I'll make us something. While I do, I want to hear all about Danika." Ashlyn offered, rubbing her swelling stomach.

Isolde turned to the fridge, pulling out everything they would need to make sandwiches. Ashlyn joined her and together the two started making sandwiches.

"She's well. Nothing more to say." Reyes told her.

"Make me something, too. I'm ninety-seven percent famished. That sandwich I stole only helped a little." Sabin told the two females.

"I'm totally full." Gideon added.

"Shame on you boys for making a pregnant woman and an injured woman do all the work." Anya scolded them.

Isolde rolled her eyes at this as she sat out plates to put the food on. She obviously wasn't hurt enough to consider staying in the fortress and sending one of the warriors out to get whatever she wanted from town.

"Hey! You're letting them make your sandwich. How is that any different?" Sabin asked Anya, shaking a finger at her.

"Pregnant and injured or not, I'll let them make me one, too."

Everyone, save Isolde, turned to Torin, gasping in surprise when they saw the warrior up and about, finally fully healed. Ashlyn tried to step forward to give the white haired man a hug but Anya yanked her back.

"He's Disease, sweetness. You can't touch him without getting sick, remember?" Anya reminded her.

"Oh, yeah. I'm glad you're better." Ashlyn told Torin.

"Me, too. I heard Isolde has taken my place with neck injuries." Torin replied, looking at Isolde.

Isolde spread her hands and shrugged. She gave him a smile and a wink, the former being returned by the man.

"How are you feeling?" Reyes asked Torin.

"Better. Hungry."

The last was said as Torin eyed the plate in Reyes' hands.

"Back off. I'm glad you're better, but not enough to share." Reyes told him.

"You almost make me wish I were still bed-bound. You'd have to bring me food with a smile." Torin told him.

Isolde typed out a message and held it out for them to read it. Reyes leaned forward and read it out loud for Torin.

 _If you want to go lay back down, I'll bring you food with a smile._

Torin's grin grew and he chuckled. He looked half tempted to take the offer. Isolde smiled brightly at him.

"I might take you up on that offer later, baby girl. At least you know how to treat a man." he remarked, giving her a wink before turning to Anya. "Oh, guess what? Your friend is climbing the hill. He keeps shouting that he wants to put you over his knee and spank you, so I decided not to kill him as Lucien instructed. Guy has a blade strapped to his left thigh, but that's the only weapon I detected. He should reach the door any-"

There was a knock on the front door then.

"William's here!" Anya said with a grin.

"What is he doing here? Lucien told him never to return or he'd kill him, and you hate him." Reyes remarked.

"Hate him? I adore him! Even made sure he'd come back by holding his favorite book hostage. And FYI, Lucien was only teasing about killing him. They're BFF's now, I swear." Anya said.

Isolde let out a croaked off noise that sounded scratchy and had her wincing. Isolde stuck her tongue out and lightly ran fingers over her neck. Finally finished with a sandwich, she pushed it to Gideon and started making one for Torin while Ashlyn got into a heated discussion with the others on who would cook what since Isolde was going to town. Done, Isolde sat the plate in front of Torin and gave him a smile. He gave her a grateful smile in return and left the kitchen with his food.

"Here."

Isolde looked up as Reyes took her hand and put a wad of bills in it. He gave her a shake of his head before she could protest.

"You have a bad habit of not telling us when you run out of money and you refuse to let Torin set up an account for you." Reyes remarked before gathering his plate and glass and leaving. Isolde rolled her eyes, zipped up the neck of her dress, and tugged on Gideon's sleeve.

Gideon brushed bread crumbs off his hands and followed her. Isolde ran upstairs quickly stopping to pull on a pair of her beloved biker mitts, these in the same shade of purple as her stockings and a pair of boots. She grabbed her purse, stuffing the money in it, grabbed her sunglasses and jammed them on her face, and snagged her jacket before meeting Gideon downstairs.

She let Gideon drive. Or more along the lines that he made her let him. For some reason none of the men let her drive when they were in the car with her. Once in town, Isolde dragged Gideon to her favorite cafe. The place had the best milkshakes she had ever had.

Gideon order a few burgers and fries while Isolde had ordered two chocolate shakes. It was a little awkward ordering since Isolde couldn't talk and Gideon couldn't speak the truth. In the end, Gideon just pointed to what they wanted and supplied a number with fingers. Isolde leaned back in her chair. The conversation with Sabin had given her a headache. She really didn't know what to do about the man. She was rubbing her temples when Gideon spoke.

"What's not wrong with you?"

Isolde looked up at him and threw her hands into the air in annoyance. She would have added a noise to it if she could have but couldn't make the noise come out. Pulling her phone out, she typed a message and hit send. Gideon's phone went off and the man pulled his phone out to read the message.

" _Can I hurt Sabin?"_

Gideon snorted. He knew she wasn't serious. Isolde was never really serious when she had the pout that was on her face at that very moment. But the idea of her wanting to hurt Sabin was amusing to Gideon, who had spent centuries with the other man.

"I totally would not want to see that. Can you not put him in a head lock for me?"

Okay so she couldn't help a smile at that. She would love to do that, just to watch Gideon hit the floor laughing when she managed it. Then again, he wouldn't be the only one to hit the floor rolling if she actually managed to pull it off. Strider would too. Maybe a few of the others.

"So what isn't going on with Sabby?" Gideon asked.

The two fell silent for a moment as a waitress brought them their orders. Isolde smiled at the woman signing a thank you to her. The woman smiled back and left them to their food. Isolde instantly turned to her phone, typing out a message and hitting send.

" _He hates me and keeps making up excuses for why. I already know I'm a freak, knowing what I know, but he doesn't have to keep throwing it up in my face. Please, please,_ _ **please**_ _, can I hurt him?_ "

Gideon's grin betrayed the amusement he felt to her predicament. Isolde didn't find it amusing in the least. It really did frustrate her having to deal with this. Sabin really wasn't making life easy for her. Then again, she didn't know why she ever expected him to.

"You're totally a freak and she doesn't know it." Gideon told her.

After so many late nights reading her books, Isolde was completely intoned to Gideon Speak. Others might have to slow down and think that through, but she had always been a quick learner. When she had read the books, she had made it her mission in life to conquer Gideon Speak. She had spent six months speaking in nothing but Gideon Speak. Her boss at the time hadn't been too pleased by it but Isolde was a hard worker, so he had let it fly.

Basically Gideon was saying she wasn't a freak and Sabin knew it.

" _Then why? Why does he always look at me like I'm the nastiest demon to claw its way out of hell?_ " she typed.

Gideon read the message, his grin faltering when he looked up at her. He didn't have to see her eyes to know she was hurt. He could see it in the awkward way she pulled one of the milkshakes to her and took a cautious sip. She winced as it went down, but it wasn't completely painful. The cold of the ice-cream actually felt good against her battered throat.

"Sabby's smart. She knows what she's missing. And you are a demon. A complete pain in the ass." Gideon told her seriously.

That combined with the weird looks a few shot their way, made Isolde smile. Gideon had just called Sabin a freaking idiot. That made her day. Especially since Sabin wouldn't had been happy if he had heard Gideon just then.

"Just pay attention to her. Her opinion on this totally matters. The rest of us hate you." Gideon told her.

Feeling much better, Isolde thanked him and the two ate-or drank in Isolde's case-their food. When they were done, Isolde paid and told Gideon that she wanted to do some quick shopping for food for dinner. It seemed there was never enough food in the house anymore.

Gideon roared in laughter when she mentioned that cooking for and feeding six of them had been hard enough. Add in another six warriors, two women, one of which was pregnant, and an unwilling house guest, and she was suddenly grateful for all the practice cooking large amounts of food a day.

The two went shopping, Isolde picking up enough food to make meatloaf, fresh rolls, fried potatoes, vegetables, and a cherry-and-pineapple upside-down cake for fifteen. Which was a lot of food. Gideon helped her carry it all back to the car.

When they got home, Isolde instantly went to cooking. Several of the others popped in to watch and snag pieces of food while she was cooking. She didn't mind too much, though she shot Strider a hard look when he snagged one of her cherries and popped it into his mouth after she had just placed it in the pan. The man gave her a grin and walked off. Isolde just rolled her eyes and went back to cooking, pouring the dry cake mix over the cherries and pineapple and adding slices of butter sticks to the top before popping the cake into the oven.

When she finished dinner, she made a separate plate for Danika, knowing Reyes had fed her not too long ago, but a little more food wouldn't hurt. Ashlyn entered the kitchen then.

"It smells wonderful, Isolde, as usual." Ashlyn told her with a smile.

Isolde turned to her with a smile typing out a thank you on her phone to show her. Ashlyn helped her set out a stack of plates and food. The others could just come, grab a plate, and make their own plates. With all the food spread over the table, they should have enough to eat. Isolde made another plate, piled high with food, sitting it and a glass of tea on a second tray. Ashlyn took a look at the two trays.

"For Torin and Danika?" she guessed.

Isolde nodded and winced when her neck protested.

"I'll help you carrying them." Ashlyn offered.

Isolde typed a thanks. Ashlyn called the others to eat first, and then grabbed the lighter tray, Danika's, while Isolde took the heavier of the two. Together they headed upstairs, stopping first at Torin's room. The man answered the door and smiled when he saw the two and the food in their hands.

"Finally up and cooking meals again, huh? Can't tell you how much I've missed it." Torin told Isolde, stepping back out of the way, letting Isolde step inside and sit the tray on a table.

Isolde pulled out her phone, typing a message. She hit send and Torin's phone went off just seconds later. He fished it out of his jean pockets and looked at the message.

" _It's about the only thing I do around here now. What with all the others here to help with cleaning and stuff. But it's kind of hard to cook when people come into the kitchen and keep snagging food._ "

Torin grinned, reading it out loud. Ashlyn smiled at the girl as Isolde took the tray she was holding. She didn't want Ashlyn to carry it any more than she had to.

"That just proves how good your cooking is." Torin told her.

Isolde's smile was wide and bright. It was when he saw that smile on her face that Torin knew he probably would never be able to get angry with the girl. Not that she ever really did anything to anger him. No she pretty much reserved that for Lucien, Aeron, and Sabin. Sometimes Reyes and Strider too.

"Thanks for the food." Torin told the two, closing the door behind them as they left.

Ashlyn led the way to Reyes's room, Isolde trailing behind with the tray in her hands. Other warriors flew past them on their way down to the kitchen, thanking Isolde for the meal. Isolde just smiled back at them. When Sabin passed, Isolde acted like he wasn't even there, tilting her chin up and continuing on even when Ashlyn stopped to say hello. Ashlyn looked at Isolde as the girl marched on and then gave Sabin a questioning look. Sabin avoided it, continuing on.

"What was that about?" Ashlyn asked, catching up with Isolde.

Isolde gave her an "it's a long story" look. Ashlyn let go at that as they reached Reyes' room. She knocked and waited until they heard Danika call, "Come in" from the other side. Ashlyn stepped inside and hurried forward with a delighted smile and a cheerful, "Danika". Isolde followed her in with the tray.

"Ashlyn."

Danika held open her arms. The two hugged, Ashlyn squeezing tightly.

"I've thought about you every day. What have you been doing with yourself? How are you?" Ashlyn asked.

"Running. And honestly? I've been better. How are you?" Danika asked.

She hadn't seen Isolde standing at the door yet and Isolde didn't move, not wanting to pull Danika's attention to her just yet. But she had a smile on her face as she watched the two.

"Don't hate me, but I've been doing wonderfully, if truth be told. You've lost weight you couldn't afford to lose and there are circles under your eyes." Ashlyn answered, pulling back to look Danika over.

"And you look amazing. You're glowing. The men really have been treating you well." Danika said.

"Like a queen. Is there anything I can get you? Anything you need?"

"A ticket home. My family. Reyes's head on a platter. Other than that, no. Nothing."

"Reyes isn't so bad. He's intense, but sweet." Ashlyn told her. "Oh!"

Ashlyn turned then, smiling at Isolde and drawing Danika's attention to the younger woman. Danika looked up at her, surprised to find the girl there. The last time she had been there, she had only seen Isolde once. Isolde had come to the room to check on them and had promised to see to it that they were freed. She had kept her promise and they had been freed. Then, the girl had been at the peak of health and now she looked like she had been run a little ragged with bandages wrapping up around her throat.

"You remember Isolde, don't you, Danika?" Ashlyn asked.

"Yeah, I do." Danika replied.

Isolde walked into the room, sitting the tray of food on a table. Danika's mouth watered when she smelled the freshly made meatloaf, rolls, vegetables, fried potatoes, and cake that sat on the tray with a glass of ice tea. Isolde turned back to the two woman and typed something on a phone in her hands. Ashlyn stepped forward to read it. Last time Danika had seen her, she had no problem speaking.

"She says she knows you ate not long ago, but she snagged you some of dinner. Everyone needs a little home cooking and Isolde is a wonderful, little chef." Ashlyn told Danika.

"Why aren't you talking? What happened to your neck?" Danika asked, bristling a little.

If one of the men had hurt her...Danika would hurt them. Isolde was just as sweet as Ashlyn, had been concerned with the well being of Danika and had kept her promise. As far as Danika was concerned, the girl was innocent compared to her so-called brothers. Isolde typed something again, a painful smile on her face.

"She said it's nothing to worry about. She went with the men to save you and she was injured. She's just taking a precaution, letting her throat rest by not speaking." Ashlyn told her.

Danika's mouth went dry. The girl had been hurt trying to help her and it was all one big lie. But what really got Danika, was the knowing look in Isolde's eyes. Last time they had met, Isolde had told her that she had a gift, that she knew things about what Danika thought, said, and did. She wondered if Isolde knew the real reason why she was there. But seeing the sudden guilty look on Danika's face, Isolde waved her hands, typing something quickly and stepping forward for Danika to read.

" _Don't feel guilty, please! It was my own fault. I was trying to help one of the men and wasn't paying attention. I know better than that. I just wanted to help you._ "

Danika looked at the girl and opened her mouth but Isolde was pulling the phone back, deleting the message and typing out a new one. This one made Danika's mouth go even dryer.

" _I already know your deal with Stefano. Don't worry about it. Do what you have to do. I won't get in your way and I won't say anything. You have my honest word._ "

Danika looked up at Isolde who gave her a bright and warm smile. It made Danika's heart hurt. She was going to betray the men and therefore, this sweet, young woman who claimed herself their sister.

"Why?" Danika asked her.

" _Sometimes it's best that some things play out on their own course. This is one of those things, Danika. My interference in this will be great, as I'm sticking to Reyes like glue right now, but I won't try to change what you do. That's freedom of will and I know how bad it sucks to have that taken away. Do what you think you must for your own good. That's all anyone can ask._ "

Danika nodded. She didn't know what to say or do. Isolde honestly was a good person just concerned with Danika doing what she felt was best for her. Whether that meant taking down the men or not, Isolde wasn't concerned. Danika wondered if maybe that was because she knew what was going to happen and actually approved of what the future held. Ashlyn stepped forward then, taking Danika's hand and sitting her down on the bed. Isolde sat next to Ashlyn.

"Listen, I don't want you worrying about anything while you're here. Things are different now. It's not an all-boys club with only Isolde around, anymore. Anya and Cameo moved in and are helping to keep the men in line. Have you met them? No? Well, you'll like them when you do. Together we'll find a way to save your family. I have no doubt about that. And the guys will help. They have hearts of gold, once you get to know them and Isolde is good to her word. If she says she'll help you, you've got an eternal friend." Ashlyn told her, Isolde smiling and leaning into Ashlyn's side.

"I hate to break this to you, Ash, but they're demons. Real, honest-to-God demons from hell." Danika told her.

"Yes. I know. Isolde's not human either."

"You know? And you're staying with them anyway? Of your own free will?" Danika asked shocked.

"Yes. In fact, say hello to the next generation of demon. Maddox and I are having a baby. I can't wait!" Ashlyn said, rubbing her stomach.

"Oh, Ash. Congratulations. You're sure Maddox will..."

"He'll be an amazing father." Ashlyn said confidently.

"What's wrong? The color in your cheeks is fading." Ashlyn said, concerned.

Isolde's eyes flashed with a knowing look and she offered Danika a soft smile.

"Headache." Danika lied.

"Oh, you poor thing. You've been through a lot these past few months. This, however, I can fix. You once flew into town to get me some Tylenol, and now I get to do the same for you. Actually, there's some in the kitchen-Maddox stocks it by the truckload these days just in case-so I'll be right back. Isolde, wait here." Ashlyn said, getting to her feet.

The moment Ashlyn was gone, Danika's eyes went to Isolde who scooted closer and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She typed something on her phone and showed Danika the message.

" _Don't beat yourself up. We all have to do uncomfortable things to save the ones we love. I took a lead pipe to the head and a bullet for the ones I love. People will do anything in the name of love. I, at least, can't fault you that._ "

Danika gave her a weak smile, returning the squeeze of her hand.

"How can you be so understanding, knowing what I have to do?" Danika asked.

" _Because I believe in the good in you, Danika, as well as the good in my brothers. Everyone has good and bad in them. You have to be willing to look past the bad to get to the good though. It doesn't hurt that I know how this will turn out and it's for the better._ " Isolde typed.

She smiled widely at Danika. The door swinging open, kept Danika from replying. Isolde looked up, her eyes landing on Sabin. Danika jumped to her feet, but Isolde rose calmly, slowly, as if she knew the man before them wouldn't do a thing.

"Who are you? What do you want? Where's Reyes?" Danika asked.

"I'm Sabin." he said, kicking the door closed. "I came to ask you some questions. And I don't have any clue where Reyes is. Isolde...leave."

Isolde's reply to the man was a rude hand gesture that had his jaw working. Danika could tell from the grin on Isolde's face as she did it, that this was a long standing reaction from the girl. Apparently Isolde wasn't on the best of terms with all of her "brothers".

"You can leave." Danika told him.

Instead of leaving, or pressing Isolde to leave, Sabin just leaned against the door.

"You're one of them." Danika remarked.

"One of who?" Sabin asked.

He took a step forward and caught himself when Isolde shot him a warning look. He backed back off. Danika wondered why he seemed reluctant to press his luck with Isolde. The girl was a third his size and injured. What kind of a threat could she pose to him?

"The demons." Danika said.

"Did Reyes tell you we were demons?"

"Yes."

"I doubt he'd be such a naughty boy. Want to know what I think? You recently spent some time with Hunters. I bet they told you." Sabin replied.

"So?"

"So. Interesting that you don't have to ask me who and what the Hunters are, or what their purpose is."

"Again, Reyes told me."

Isolde watched the two, not doing anything except watching the two. To her credit though, she didn't leave Danika's side.

"What did they ask you to do to us, hmm? Tell me and I might let you live." Sabin told her.

Isolde snorted, the noise coming out in a strangled sound, and winced instantly, her hand flying to her throat as she made a face. Danika wondered what kind of injury it could have been that such a small noise hurt her. She gestured for Danika to answer when she saw her looking at her. Danika turned back to Sabin.

"They asked me to kill you." Danika told him, surprising Sabin.

"Do you plan to try?" he asked.

"Depends on what I learn about my family."

At least she was sticking close to the truth. Isolde was silently laughing at Sabin's expression from where she stood beside Danika.

"I won't allow anyone to hurt my friends. Ever." Sabin said, pulling a dagger and rag out of his pocket.

The threat was so not-subtle, that Isolde rolled her eyes at him. She had seen better scare tactics on a six-year-old in downtown Texas. It worked on Danika but Isolde was a little more hardened then the woman. A past like Isolde's did that to a person.

"And I won't allow anyone to hurt my family. Is the weapon supposed to scare me? You'll have to try harder than that." Danika told him.

"You're on their radar now, you know? The Hunters will never leave you alone. And if you betray them to help us, which I doubt you're willing to do, they'll hunt and torture you. If there's anything left of you after I'm done, that is." Sabin said.

Isolde surged forward then. Before he could stop her, she snatched the dagger from his hands and shook the point at him with a scolding look on her face. Sabin's jaw locked like he was fighting something back, but he didn't say anything. Isolde raised a challenging eyebrow at him and when he didn't move to take up the challenge, she flipped the blade and held it out to him, hilt first. She apparently got her point across. Isolde turned on her heel, typing something on her phone. She showed the message to Danika.

" _He's not wrong, but he's being a jerk. Obviously he's my least favorite._ "

Danika almost laughed, but just turned her attention to Sabin, who had raised a question eyebrow at the two. Danika wasn't going to repeat what Isolde had typed.

"So I'm screwed either way? News flash I had already figured that out, moron."

The wide grin on Isolde's face made any annoyance or anger from Sabin, totally worth it. Sabin's lips twitched but it was hard to read the emotion behind it.

"You should know that the Hunters' torturing will seem like child's play compared to what I'll do to you if you so much as look as if you're going to fight my friends. They aren't evil, they aren't the source of the world's problems and they deserve to be happy." Sabin said.

" _He's right. Again. I can't tell you how much that annoys me to admit._ " Isolde typed.

"And you don't?" Danika asked Sabin, her eyes flicking to Isolde's message before going back to him.

Of course Sabin didn't answer this. Danika was starting to realize that the men were all good at evasion. Isolde seemed to be the only straight forward one of the group. Then again Danika hadn't tried to get too much information out of her. For all she knew, Isolde was worse than the men.

"You should know that my family means everything to me and I will decapitate any immortal who even thinks about hurting them." Danika told Sabin.

"Spoken like a true Hunter." Sabin remarked.

A ding had him looking at his phone. Danika peered over Isolde's shoulder, having seen her hint the send button, and read the message she had just sent Sabin. The name _Jerkwad_ showed in the top corner of the phone screen, showing what she had listed Sabin under in her contacts.

Danika fought not to smile.

" _You would say the same thing about the others if they were threatened, you hypocrite._ "

Sabin frowned as he read the message. Apparently he knew she had a point and couldn't argue with the girl. So he ignored it.

"Well, guess what. Cut off their heads and you can kiss your pretty world goodbye. Their demons will be loosed, a source of havoc unlike any you have ever seen." Sabin told Danika.

A look at the grimace on Isolde's face told Danika that it wasn't a lie.

"Saving my loved ones is worth any price." Danika told him.

"As she has so graciously pointed out, I feel the same about mine. I protect mine, though." Sabin said, flicking a hand in Isolde's direction.

Seeing the look on Danika's face as Doubts threw a thought her way, had a look of understanding passing Sabin's face.

"Perhaps you'll take care of matters on your own, huh? Save me the trouble." he remarked.

Isolde snapped her teeth at Sabin, baring them in a growl that made her wince, but she didn't seem to care. She typed a message, holding it up for Danika to read. The woman leaned over to read, deciding to focus on that more than the sudden tears burning her eyes.

" _Don't listen to him, Danika. Sadly, I'm not counted among those he would fight to protect. He hates me. Can you believe he's the one I took a bullet to the throat for? I should have let him get shot. It's not like it would have killed him._ "

That was what had happened to Isolde's throat!?

Danika's eyes went to the bandages at the girl's slender throat. There was no way Isolde could be human. Then again she had told Danika as much. The look of sadness deep, deep in Isolde eyes made Danika feel bad for her. She had taken a painful injury for this man and he didn't even like her. Yet she had done it anyway. It made Danika feel like crying for the girl.

Sabin eyed to two, wondering what Isolde had typed that suddenly had Danika looking at her like she completely understood and would fight for the girl. Isolde seemed to have that effect on people. Sometimes, looking at the girl, people got the impression of insecurity so deep, all they wanted to do was bundle the girl up and hold her, protect her. But he **knew** Isolde didn't need it. The girl was a monster in a fight.

Some day, he vowed, he would figure out how that was true. A girl her size and built shouldn't be as deadly as Isolde was when angered.

Just then the door swung open and Reyes led Lucien into the room. Isolde instantly lit up at the sight of Lucien. When she saw the bruises and cuts on him, she raced to him. Lucien greeted her with open arms, scooping her up like a father would his little girl. Isolde cupped his jaw, turning his head to look at the injuries.

"I'm fine, baby girl. Don't worry." Lucien told her.

Isolde smiled at him, apparently just glad to see him walking and fine aside from the bruises and cuts. Danika got the impression of a strong father/daughter bond between the two. Reyes on the other hand was facing off against Sabin.

"What are you doing in here?" Reyes asked, as Lucien set Isolde on her feet.

"Someone needed to question her. You refused to do it, so I got it done." Sabin retorted.

"You were not to come near her." Reyes growled.

"She's alive, isn't she? Isolde was right here the whole time. So what's the problem?" Sabin asked.

"Are you hurt?"

The question from Reyes was obviously meant for Danika but it seemed Isolde wasn't the only one in the house with a smart-ass mouth.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking." Sabin replied.

"

Not you. Danika, are you hurt?" Reyes asked.

"I'm fine." Danika answered.

Reyes issued another warning to Sabin, giving him a shove backwards. Danika half expected the two to start fighting, but from the roll of the eyes from Isolde, she didn't think he would.

"I did you a favor, boy. You'd do better to thank me." Sabin told him.

Danika stepped forward to say or do something to stop this, but Isolde, even being a third their size and injured, wedged herself between them and pushed them apart. She gave each man a hard look. Both looked away from her instantly, almost like she was their mother and they had just received a scolding. Lucien stepped forward then.

"Enough. Sabin, get your team ready. We leave for Rome in the morning." Lucien said.

"This isn't over." Sabin told Lucien.

"I know."

"Why did the plans change?" Reyes asked.

"Researching was getting us nowhere. We'll go back to the temple, see if we find anything there." Lucien answered.

Isolde, not interested in the conversation at hand, almost as if she had heard it before, came back to Danika's side, taking her hands in hers. Danika looked at her and Isolde smiled at her. That smile said enough for Danika. It told her, "I'm your friend, if no one else. Trust me.", and Danika felt like she really could trust this younger female with everything. Isolde knew what Danika was going to do and hadn't told the men anything.

Danika gave the girl a nod.

Reyes turned towards them after Sabin left the room.

"You have tears in your eyes when I entered. What did Sabin make you doubt?" Reyes asked.

"Doubt?" Danika asked.

"He made you doubt something about yourself."

"No. He warned me not to hurt you."

"He wouldn't have spoken the doubts aloud. You would have heard them in your head." Reyes told her.

"What are you talking about? The only thing I doubted was...That's his demon? That's his power? Making people doubt themselves and their actions? Making them feel terrible about what they've done or haven't done?" Danika asked as it dawned on her.

Reyes nodded. The grimace on Isolde face confirmed it as well. Danika wondered if Isolde had doubted anything in the face of Sabin. If she did, she hadn't shown it.

"That bastard! I'll kill him." Danika growled, lunging past Isolde and for the door.

She didn't get far before Reyes caught her, holding her until she fell still. Once she was still, he cupped her cheeks, his hands gentle.

"What did he use against you?" he asked.

"M-my family. My fault." was all she could say, Reyes shaking his head.

"Not your fault. The gods' fault, but never yours." he told her.

"I didn't fight." she argued.

"We are warriors. Immortal, no less. We have been trained to slay, to hurt. Even Isolde can fight like a feral animal in the heat of battle. What could you have done against us?" Reyes asked.

Danika's eyes flickered to Isolde who gave her a guilty smile. Sweet, kind, gentle Isolde could fight like a feral animal? Danika couldn't see it. Then again, not everything was as it seemed. Isolde could very well be the bloodiest fighter in the world if her loved ones were on the line. Danika fixed her eyes back on Reyes.

"More."

"Nothing would have changed."

"No way to know that now. Is there?" she asked.

"You are stubborn." Reyes told her, smile curving his life.

Danika stared at him for a moment before pulling free of him. Reyes heaved a sigh, arms dropping when she did. Ashlyn arrived then with the Tylenol for Danika. Anya arrived shortly after and when she saw Isolde, she smiled.

"My lovely daughter!" she called, holding open her arms.

Isolde's smiled was dazzling as she threw herself into those arms. Danika stared in shock. This tall, utterly beautiful woman was Isolde's mother!? But she looked to be the same age and there wasn't a single trait between the two that was the same.

"She's not her real mother." Ashlyn told Danika, seeing the expression on her face. "Lucien and Anya adopted Isolde."

"Though they do more spoiling then parenting." Reyes grumped, Lucien shooting him a look from the side of his eyes.

"Isolde isn't that bad. Just a little mischievous. Which she got from Anya." Ashlyn protested.

"Believe me, she had that before her mother came into the picture." Lucien said with a sigh as he watched the two females.

The look on his face told Danika that the two were the center of his world. The woman he loved to death and his beloved little daughter.

"What are you up to, Anya? You only grin like that when you have something planned." Lucien said.

"Just wanted to do a little girl bonding, that's all. These boys treating you well, sugar?" Anya asked Danika.

"I-I-"

"They don't, you just tell little ol' Anya and I will personally cut out their hearts. That's a promise. Not that I can be trusted. Lying in a hobby of mine. Lucien, honey, you gonna be long? I wanna throw William a welcome-to-the-fortress party and I'd like you help picking decorations. I'm thinking masked ball with a creatures of the night theme." Anya said, switching gears quickly.

Isolde typed something on her phone and held it up to Anya. Anya read it and laughed, putting a smile on Isolde's face.

"That's right, chica. They can go as themselves with that theme." Anya said, tapping Isolde's nose.

"No party. Isolde don't in encourage her. Not with the box and the artifacts and Hunters and God knows what else hanging over our heads. Danika, you call me if you need anything, okay? Me or Isolde. Anything at all." Ashlyn said before ushering Anya out of the room.

Isolde stayed behind, waving to her mother as Anya was dragged from the room. Danika really liked these women. So sweet and smart. It made her wonder what they were doing there. Then again, she knew why Isolde was there. From what she had told Danika, she had fallen through their roof and the warriors had nursed her back to health, had taken care of her. To her, they were family.

Well, maybe not Sabin.

"I'm ready. Where's Aeron?" Danika asked.

Isolde looked back at her then. Reyes and Lucien shared a look that had Danika demanding to know what was going on. Reyes faced her then.

"Here. Aeron is here, in the fortress." Reyes said.

"Take me to him. Right now. Please. I want to see him." Danika demanded.

"He is chained, but you cannot go near him. In his case, chained does not mean helpless. Promise me you will remain at a distance." Reyes said.

"I promise." Danika told him.

Reyes eyes went to the ceiling, as if in a silent pray before he focused on her again.

"Very well. Come. I hope you receive the answers you wish." he told her.

"I'm coming too."

The voice that spoke was so croaky, so dry and brittle it sounded like nails in a blender. But since neither Lucien nor Reyes had spoken and there was no one else in the room save Isolde, Danika knew who spoke. She turned to Isolde who was rubbing her throat as if it was a little uncomfortable.

"Don't push yourself, baby girl." Lucien told her.

"It's fine. A little sore, but that's to be expected." Isolde croaked.

It was nothing like the lulling, soothing, if not usually sarcastic, voice Isolde usually had. The poor girl sounded like she smoked two packs of cigarettes a day on top of having someone line her throat with broken glass, nails, and broken wind pipes.

"It doesn't matter though. I'm going with you." she told them.

Without waiting for an answer, she turned on her heels and walked out the door. There would be no talking Isolde out of it.

-0-0-0-0-

When they reached the cells, Isolde slipped past Reyes before he could stop her. Both Reyes and Lucien growled but Isolde ignored them. She approached the cell and peered inside at Aeron. She gripped the bars and peered through at Aeron, who fixed hungry eyes on her. She gave him a smile as Reyes moved past her, opening the cell and entering. Isolde remained at the cell bars, not trying to enter. Lucien, as well as Reyes, would have a cow if she did.

"Leave." Aeron told them.

"You are lucid now, I see. You were crazed when Lucien and I appeared in the cave. I'm sorry if I hurt you trying to get you here." Reyes said.

Aeron didn't reply to that. Instead his eyes focused on Isolde, catching on the bandages around her neck. The lingered there for a long moment.

"Hey, Aeron. Missed you." she said in greeting, her voice croaking out.

"What happened? Did you almost get her killed?" Aeron asked on a growl, his eyes snapping to Reyes.

"It was a Hunter. Shot me in the throat. It's fine." Isolde told him.

Aeron didn't look convinced but Isolde wasn't going to have this conversation. If he knew that Isolde had gotten shot helping Sabin, Aeron was likely to rip the other warrior apart when he finally got free. And he would get free.

"Free me. I have a job to do." Aeron retorted.

"Two weeks ago, you were grateful to be restrained. You hated what you'd been ordered to do and begged me to kill you."

"Grateful no longer. Those women need to die."

"So they still live? All four?"

Isolde saw the flash of guilt in Aeron's eyes. She knew the truth referring to Danika's grandmother. Reyes went even tenser beside her.

"Aeron. Tell me about the women." Reyes demanded, adding a "Please" when there was no answer.

Danika piped in, demanding Aeron answer. Aeron drew still, stopped breathing. Crimson took over his eyes. Isolde could hear Wrath pounding against the mental barrier she had built. Given enough time down there and it would break past. Isolde still hadn't managed to create a mental barrier strong enough to keep them out for good. Reyes held his ground, even when Aeron's wings snapped free. Aeron lunged forward, the chain around his neck yanking him to a stop just inches from Reyes. Aeron seized him around the neck.

"Girl. Want her." Aeron demanded.

"Mine. Tell me about her family." Reyes retorted.

"Die!"

Aeron's grip tightened.

"Tell me." Reyes insisted.

Reyes dropped his knife and grabbed Aeron's wrists. Isolde would have gone in to help, but Lucien seized her the back of her dress and held her in place.

"She must die." Aeron snapped.

"She's...innocent."

"Doesn't matter."

"Once it would have."

Reyes managed to pry himself loose, but his windpipe was done for. With that Reyes was lost to the world for the time being. Danika was screaming at Lucien to help Reyes. Lucien pulled a gun out of the waist of his pants, telling Danika that Reyes would live as he did. He glanced at Isolde and gave her a nod. The girl hiked up the left side of her skirt, baring a gun. She yanked it free and checked the magazine and chamber. Danika stared at her, but Isolde only gave her a smile.

"I'm being raised by warriors, so please don't give me that look." she told her softly, sliding the gun back into its hiding place for the moment.

"Aeron, let him go." Lucien called.

"No!"

"He sounds like a child." Isolde muttered before slipping into the cell ahead of Lucien.

Lucien obviously trusted Isolde not to get herself killed for he didn't try to stop her. Isolde entered the cell, holding her hands up so Aeron could see she didn't have a weapon in hand. With his wings tied up with Reyes, it would be easier to dodge any attack from him. She gave him a smile when he looked at her. She was wrestling with Wrath on the inside, but at least she had managed to keep her eyes from changing. It would scare Danika to see Isolde in that state.

"Hey. Can we talk?" she asked.

"Girl. Give her!" Aeron snapped at her.

"I can't. Sorry. But you don't want to hurt me, do you?" Isolde asked, slowly approaching Aeron.

"Isolde." Lucien hissed in a warning tone.

Isolde waved him off. She knew Aeron, she knew his driving need to protect those he loved. If she was right, he loved her like a sister. No matter how close she got, he didn't move. Finally she knelt in front of him, sitting back on her heels. She kept eye contact as she did. Mentally she cooed to Wrath, catching the demon's attention and calming him, just a tiny bit. Out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted the little green scaled creature that hid there.

"Aeron, you don't want to hurt me, right?" she cooed softly, long hair pooling on the floor around her as she leaned forward.

Aeron seemed trapped by some kind of trance, following her with his eyes, no longer pulling against chains to reach Danika. Isolde reached out slowly, gently caressing one of his hands. He relaxed a fraction.

"No. Don't want to hurt." he growled lowly in agreement.

Isolde smiled in encouragement, moving closer and reaching for Reyes slowly. The whole time she cooed to both Aeron and Wrath. To her extreme shock, it worked. Both slowly started relaxing and she got closer. Danika gasped lowly to herself as the blue in Isolde's eyes swelled, taking over the red and turning Isolde's eyes a heavenly blue.

Even Lucien was surprised. He had seen Isolde's eyes turn red, but not fully blue. Her voice pitched lower, her cooing coming out almost like a lullaby to the demon in Aeron. Even Death sighed in contentment and stretched like it was about to lay down and take a nap.

Was this a new power of Isolde's? If so, she was doing it without noticing. The whole time she moved closer, reaching out for Reyes, never moving faster than she needed to.

She almost touched Reyes when all hell broke loose. Lucien chose then to fire at the small, green demon. Aeron growled, his body starting to shake again. Isolde darted backward, out of his reach as Lucien started chasing the demon with bullets as the small creature crawled along the ceiling. Isolde's back hit the cell bars near Danika.

"Isolde!" Danika cried in alarm.

"I almost had him!" Isolde said, heaving a weary sigh. "Stay put."

Isolde darted back in, keeping low to avoid flying bullets. She tried to sneak around Aeron to Reyes, but the man turned and snapped at her. Isolde jumped out of the way. She wasn't going to be able to get close. Danika entered the cell then, knife in hand. Isolde shot her a look but didn't say anything. She apparently trusted Danika to take care of herself.

At least someone did.

Aeron locked in on Danika, watching her intently, giving Isolde the opening to scoot closer to him and possibly reach Reyes.

"Legion. Need you." Aeron called.

The creature dropped down on Aeron's shoulders, whispering to him and petting his head. When Lucien heard what Aeron had called the little demon, his eyes locked on Isolde. She had said Aeron would have a guest. Her only hint had been the word legion. Now he knew it wasn't a word, but a name.

Lucien called for Danika, knowing Isolde had a better chance of surviving an attack from Aeron then a human like Danika. The human woman simply told him to get Reyes out. She reached Reyes and bent to feel for a pulse. Not finding one, she tried to keep her cool.

"Lucien. For God's sake, come get him." she called.

"He's fine, and I am unwilling to lose focus with the demon unfettered." Lucien replied.

Annoyed with him, Danika grabbed Reyes and started dragging him. Reyes was heavy though and she only made it about a foot before she had to stop. Aeron stood straight, ready to attack. Isolde darted between them then, putting herself between Danika and Reyes, and Aeron. She held up her hands, unwilling to reach for a weapon.

"Aeron, calm, please." she said in that lulling tone.

Though it was scratchy and more along the lines of a croak, Danika even felt like relaxing. Isolde's eyes were still that bright, hypnotic blue. Aeron was stubborn about not relaxing this time, though he didn't knock her aside.

"He was your friend." Danika snapped, moving Reyes a few more inches.

"But you are not." Aeron replied.

"No, I'm not. But would you really plow through Isolde to get to me?" Danika asked.

Aeron growled at first. The look on Isolde's face made it clear she wasn't moving out of the way anytime soon. Then he grinned an eerie grin.

"Do you wish to hurt me, little human?" he asked.

"Yes. I wish to destroy you."

"Try."

"So you'll feel better about what you plan to do to me? No, thanks. Not while Reyes needs help. But once he's out of the cell, you're mine."

Isolde flicked a glance back at Danika, holding her ground right in front of Aeron. He could easily reach out and move her out of the way, but Danika had a feeling that where he would hurt her and hurt the men, he wouldn't hurt Isolde. Not if he could help it.

Isolde knew it too.

"Do I scare you?" Aeron asked Danika.

"You? Scare me? Never again." Danika retorted.

"Why don't you come for me, then?"

"The difference between us is that I care about someone else more than I care about my own wishes."

She couldn't see it, but a grin curved Isolde's lips. Aeron lost his grin.

"You cannot care for Reyes." Aeron said.

"You are wrong, Aeron."

Aeron looked down at Isolde when she spoke in a voice low enough for only him to hear. She gave him a smile so soft some of the tension in him melted even more. Isolde had always relaxed him and now, for some reason, that ability seemed to be growing.

"The others are coming." Lucien said.

He approached Danika then, gripping her neck and flashing her out of the cell and back to Reyes's room. He came back for Reyes and would have taken Isolde too, but she wouldn't let him.

"I'm fine." she told Lucien.

Lucien didn't want to leave her there, but he knew Isolde would be fine. She would melt into shadows if Aeron actually tried to hurt her. So he left her there. Isolde waited until the others were gone before she turned back to Aeron, her eyes slowly returning to their natural two-toned state.

"Leave, Isolde." he told her.

Isolde smiled.

"Not a chance. Even like this, I know you won't hurt me." Isolde told him.

She knelt in front of him before turning her attention to the little demon, Legion. She smiled a greeting to Legion.

"Hello. I'm Isolde. You are?" she asked.

"I isss Legion. Want to play?" Legion asked hopefully.

"I don't see why not. Any friend of Aeron's is a friend of mine." Isolde replied.

Legion clapped happily, pulling Isolde into a game. Getting on Legion's good side would be best and doing it sooner rather than later, was even better. Especially if being on the demon's good side kept Aeron calm. Isolde didn't think she could deal with Wrath beating down her mental door anymore. She would snap soon and the only warriors who would be around come that time tomorrow would be Reyes, Torin, Cameo, Kane Aeron, and Maddox. Only one of which she could actually beat the crap out of.

Nope, it was best to just to keep Aeron calm.

Well...as calm as could be.


	21. Trade

Author Notes: Hello everyone! I'm back and I am sorry to have kept you waiting. I was motivated to finish chapters and update by a wonderful review I got. Honestly, people, nothing will spur me into updating sooner like good reviews. Hint, hint. But I suppose you want me to get on with the chapter, so here we go. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or any of it's characters. I would of helped Reyes, if I did. Like Isolde did!

Chapter Trade

"Haven't we done this before?"

Reyes looked from Aeron to Isolde. Isolde sat just beside Aeron, the little demon in her lap. It seemed Aeron didn't have an issue with her being there. Though Isolde's eyes didn't have a lick of blue in them. From two toned to blue, back to two toned, to red. Reyes was getting whiplash from the changing of her eye color. Legion seemed quite comfortable sitting in her lap though, watching Reyes.

"Didn't work out last time. I thought we'd try again." Reyes replied, keeping a safe distance from Aeron this time.

"No. I think you've returned for more. I think you like my hands on you." Aeron said.

"That sounds wrong on too many levels for my taste." Isolde muttered.

Both warriors ignored her, even when Legion snickered.

"A few years ago I asked if I could whip you, beat you. Something. I would have stabbed you, even. I didn't want to do it, didn't want to hurt you any more than you wanted to kill Maddox each night, but I knew you needed the pain so I was willing. I loved you enough." Aeron added.

"And I loved you enough to say no. Remember that?"

Legion climbed out of Isolde's lap, settling in Aeron's instead, Aeron petting the creature's bald head.

"I'm still willing to help you. If you want to hurt, give me your woman. One slice, that's all it will take. She'll fall, and your heart will literally break. Pain for eternity will be yours. My gift to you. You can thank me later." Aeron said with a laugh.

Reyes looked from Aeron to Isolde again. Usually the girl wouldn't hear of harm to an innocent. Especially one she liked. She was always the loudest protester, the firmest. And she liked Danika. But the girl sat there, her eyes a bright shade of red just a few shades darker than the usual vermilion that they were. Her eyes were half lidded as if she were growing sleepy. It cast a lazy expression on her face. Despite the talk, she didn't even act like she registered the conversation.

She was probably battling Wrath for control of her brain. That she hadn't erupted or attacked anyone showed that she was winning. If only barely. It was for that reason alone that Reyes couldn't understand why she was staying there in the cell. Reyes forced his attention back to Aeron.

"You've changed. Once you were desperate to let her go. What happened?" Reyes asked.

"I simply realized I cannot win against the blood lust. I've given myself to it, and I've never been happier." Aeron replied.

"Liar. You hate what you are. I know you do. Tell me where her family is. Please."

"Free me."

"You know I can't let you go."

"I know you won't."

"You're right. I won't."

"Then you have your answer. You won't, I won't. Given enough time the blood lust might seep into Isolde."

Reyes eyes snapped to Isolde. The girl was watching the two from narrowed eyes. She raised an eyebrow at him when he looked at her. She knew that look. Reyes feared he would have to chain her just like he had to chain Aeron. She may be fighting Wrath off with a fragile stick, but she wasn't that far gone. She had perfect control of her mind.

It was just a little murky.

Just a little.

Wrath cackled in her head, scraping claws against her mental walls.

 _Oh shut up already,_ she mentally snapped.

"I'm fine." Isolde assured Reyes, waving one hand.

"Girl isss good." Legion agreed.

Aeron wasn't sure way Legion liked Isolde and not the others. Then again he didn't understand why Legion liked him either. All he knew was Legion calmed him and Wrath both. There had been a moment when Isolde's voice had calmed Wrath, soothing the demon, her eyes turning that heavenly blue, but whatever she had done, she hadn't done it again.

Isolde seemed to have no problem with Legion, accepting the small creature as if it had always been there. Legion was eating up the attention, too. It was the only reason Aeron allowed the girl to sit so close to him untouched.

Or at least that was the thought that went through his head.

"Do you know where the women are? Tell me that, at least." Reyes asked.

"Yes. I knew where they are." Aeron admitted.

"Can I sssuck hisss blood? Pleassse. Pretty pleassse." Legion asked.

"No." Aeron told the demon.

"What about the girl? Can I drain girl?" Legion asked.

Aeron knew Legion meant Danika. Legion liked Isolde too much to harm the girl. But Danika was open season for the demon minion.

"No. She is mine." Aeron told Legion.

Reyes stormed forward, ready to fighting, growling that Danika was his. Isolde cleared her throat and Reyes stopped, just out of grabbing range of Aeron.

"I know she's nearby. Her scent is strong, stirring me to battle even now." Aeron said.

Isolde's eyes came up, the pale red of them flickering between Reyes and Aeron. Neither of the males could tell what was going on in her head, but both of their demons were whimpering, backing away from her. That gave her eyes a little of their blue edge back. But only a little. Reyes forced himself to focus on Aeron. To focus on Isolde now could end up being bad.

"Would you like it if I begged?" Reyes asked Aeron.

"I would, I would!" Legion cheered, clapping small, clawed hands.

Reyes dropped to his knees. Of course it was out of range of Aeron's hands.

"Please. Tell me where they are."

Legion cackled, but Isolde didn't think it was funny. Not that she would tell the little demon that. To see Reyes knocked so low, wasn't amusing. And Isolde liked to knock confident, alpha males off their thrones! If anyone should find it amusing, it would be her, but she just found this heart wrenching. Aeron obviously didn't find it amusing either.

"You love her?" Aeron asked.

"No. I cannot." Reyes replied with a violent shake of his head.

"Just because you cannot, doesn't mean you do not." Isolde piped in.

Aeron looked at Isolde. She knew it, as well as him. Reyes would not stoop so low as to beg, when he had not even done so the night Baden was killed, if he did not love Danika. Isolde was many things, but she wasn't stupid. She saw things about other people that most never saw. Of course, this line of thought got Aeron thinking about Baden.

"What are you thinkinng about?" Reyes asked.

"The worst night of my life." Aeron admitted.

"The opening of the box, then." Reyes said.

"No. Baden."

"He was a good friend. He would have hated to see us like this." Reyes agreed.

"He would have looked at us with disappointment in those yellow eyes of his. We would have ignored him because he'd want us to kiss and make up, and then he would have stabbed us to get our attention." Aeron said.

Isolde couldn't help the small smile on her face as she listened. She wished she could tell them everything she knew but that would throw this all completely off. She had to wait for the right time. Not a moment before then.

"Being ignored wasn't something he could tolerate." Reyes remarked.

"No."

The two warriors stared at each other, Isolde's eyes flickering between the two. Reyes wasn't goinng to move from his spot, the stubborn mule of a man. He asked again, his voice a rumble. Legion slithered over Aeron, settling in his lap with a look Isolde would claim was bored.

"Thisss not much fun. Why can't we play? Why can't we drink?" Legion asked.

"Soon." Aeron promised before looking at Reyes. "Tell the girl to step up to the bars."

"No. She-"

"Is here. I'm here."

Danika stepped up to the bars and Aeron peered past Reyes, who jumped in front of her. Aeron scowled at that.

"Move. I will not hurt her." Aeron demanded.

Isolde was half tempted to add a "yet" to that statement, but kept her mouth shut. It wouldn't be wise to work Reyes up anymore than he already was.

Reyes battled with himself for the longest moment, before finally stepping out of the way. Danika stood behind him, gripping the bars tightly in her hands. Isolde winced, pressing fingers to her temples when Wrath blew up, banging around in her head, as well as Aeron's, like a pinball in it's machine. Aeron gritted out a few "no"s as Wrath tried to tempt him to act and when Aeron refused him, Wrath turned to Isolde, who snarled.

She wasn't having any of this. Wrath was starting to sound like a needy child and she had never been good with children. The moment the snarl left her, Wrath retreated with a whimper. Legion reached up and pet Aeron's temple, quieting the demon. It took Isolde a second to focus on the conversation again.

"-want to kill me?" Aeron was asking.

"Yes." Danika answered.

Isolde gave a shake of her head to clear it and focused on the others once more. Legion was perched in Aeron's lap, flicking a forked tongue out at Danika.

"You familiar. Want to play?" Legion asked.

"You saw me yesterday. And no." Danika replied.

Legion leaned back against Aeron, disappointment rolling off the little demon in waves. Isolde kind of wanted to comfort the creature. Kindness was obviously a part of her that came out at odd times and for the oddest people...or things.

"You hurt Legion. Which means this conversation is done. Leave." Aeron proclaimed.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Really. It was...a game. Yes, a game." Danika said, thinking fast.

"Love gamesss. Ssseen you before yesterday." Legion remarked.

"I'm sorry, but you're mistaken." Danika said with a shake of her head.

"No. Legion isn't mistaken, Danika." Isolde remarked.

Eyes turned to her, but Isolde's eyes had drifted close, as if she was growing tired, trying to fight off Wrath. It wasn't that she was tired fighting off Wrath, it was that she was tired fighting off a headache. Wrath had kicked up a massive headache between her temples. It pounded against her skull like a war drum; loud and heavy.

"You fly in flamesss. Watch minionsss torture dead." Legion said.

Isolde opened one eye to peek at Danika who had a look of mixed horror and astonishment in her eyes.

"I do, but only in my dreams. How do you know? Have you seen my paintings? Wait, that's not possible." Danika rambled.

"Don't answer." Aeron told Legion.

When Isolde opened her mouth, Aeron shot her a look and a stern, "You neither" that had her mouth closing with a click of teeth. She gave him a hard glare, but didn't say anything. Not even when Reyes and Danika shot her looks.

"I don't...I'm not...Stop trying to distract me. Where is my family?" Danika asked.

"We will trade information, you and I." Aeron told her.

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

"Have you seen hell? And do not lie to me. One lie, and the conversation ends." Aeron warned her.

Danika paused long enough for it to be obvious she was weighing her options. Isolde opened one eye again to peek at the girl.

"Like I said, I see it in my dreams." Danika said finally.

"Do your sister, mother, grandmother dream of hell?"

"They've never spoken of it."

"What do-"

"Aeron, you promised to trade information." Isolde reminded him.

Aeron shot a glare at the girl, but her eyes were closed once more.

"She's right. So let's trade. Where's my mother?" Danika asked.

"In the States. A small town in Oklahoma." Aeron answered.

Relief colored Danika's face, tears slipping free to slide down her face. At least she knew where her mother was.

"Have you ever dreamed of the heavens?" Aeron asked.

"Yes."

"What do you-"

"Aeron." Isolde piped in with a warning tone.

"I answered. Now it's your turn. Where's my sister?" Danika asked, thankful for Isolde silent support, even if the other female didn't know she was offering any.

"Thisss boring." Legion said with a sigh.

"Your sister is with your mother." Aeron answered.

Isolde opened her eyes to fix them on Danika as she released an "Oh, God". She would have slid to the floor if Reyes had held her up. A look at Aeron was all Isolde needed to tell that he wanted that kind of closeness as well. Whether he would admit it or not.

"What do you see when you trek these spiritual planes?" Aeron asked.

"I see great evil and unerring goodness. I see death and life. Darkness and rainbow colors. Demonlike creatures who destroy, screams all around them. Angels who repair the damage, songs of glory humming from their wings." Danika asked.

"Technically, what you're seeing are Sent Ones, not angels, but it's a common misconception." Isolde said.

All three shot her weird looks but Isolde wasn't paying attention. Her fingers were fiddling with the ring on her left hand.

"What have you seen of the gods? What-"

"My grandmother. Where is my grandmother?" Danika asked, cutting off Aeron.

Isolde's eyes slide open, just a slit, crystalline red peering through the fan of lashes. The tiny bit of blue she had regained, was draining away once more. She fixed those eyes on Aeron, who was already being somewhat shifty.

"I'm not satisfied with your last answer. Tell me if you've seen the gods." Aeron replied.

"I don't know if I've seen them." Danika told him, teeth grinding together.

"Think!" Aeron shouted.

Danika flinched, causing Reyes to growl. Isolde gave Aeron a warning look, raising an eyebrow when he only glared at her.

"How would I know? I don't believe in gods and goddesses, I don't know what they look like or sound like. I could have dreamed of them a thousand times and not have known it." Danika told him.

"Help her figure it out." Aeron snapped at Reyes.

Reyes looked down at Danika, his expression hard. He had turned that look on Isolde a few times. Mostly when she refused to share certain information with him. He believed he knew what was for the greater good of the group as a whole, but Isolde knew how everything turned out. She knew exactly what was for the greater good of the group. She, at least, was not effected by the look.

"If you're withholding information, stop. Aeron will not renege on his word. Tell him what he wishes to know, and he will tell you about your grandmother. What have you seen recently? Describe it-or them-to us. What have you heard? No detail is too small." Reyes told her.

"You aren't going to like the answer." Isold said idly.

She didn't bother explaining to whom she was talking. The three gave her confused looks but it did nothing. She just acted like she hadn't said a word. Danika turned her thoughts away from Isolde. She could ponder over the strange girl later on. And Isolde was strange.

"Was there-was there a war recently? You know-up there?" Danika asked.

Isolde had popped an eye open to watch as Aeron's jaw dropped. She was half tempted to laugh, and barely managed to hold it back. She couldn't, for the life of her, hold back the smile though.

"Yes. There was." Reyes replied.

"Greeks fighting against Titans? I think that's what they called themselves." Danika said.

"Yes." Aeron answered.

"The Titans won and the Greeks were locked away. Well, most of them were, at least." she added.

"Yes." the males coursed.

"The Titans are scrambling to find a group of weapons. The...king, I think it was, held a meeting with his new Captain of the Guard. I guess that's the leader of his army. They have a plan. The captain will come to earth to watch and wait, follow and steal. I don't recall everything. My painting could give the details I'm forgetting. After I dream, I try to forget. I don't want to remember." Danika said.

"Painting?" Reyes asked.

"When I dream of...heaven and hell, I always paint what I see to purge it from my system."

"Where are the paintings now?" Reyes asked.

"Some are in her apartment in New Mexico, but most are in storage. Right, Danika?" Isolde asked.

Danika peered past Reyes at the girl, eyes wide in shock. She remember Isolde saying something about not being human, about having powers of her own, but this was too creepy to believe.

"How do you know?" Danika asked.

"Knowing everything past, present, and future, is my gift. Believe me, it's a big headache." Isolde answered.

Danika didn't know what to make of that. That Isolde knew everything about her past, her present, and her future...Danika kind of felt like she had suddenly been striped bare in front of the girl. With those color changing eyes fixed on Danika, she felt like Isolde could see straight through her. She didn't like the feeling and decided to focus on something else. That just happened to be Aeron.

"I answered fully. Now it's your turn. Tell me about my grandmother." Danika told him.

Aeron met her gaze and Danika found out quickly who Isolde had been talking to when she had said they wouldn't like their answer.

"I think I killed her."

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde had wanted to stick around the fortress for a while, but Anya had called insisting her "dutifully daughter" join her and the warriors currently at the Temple of the Unspoken Ones. Anya had also insisted that Isolde wear her sluttiest outfit. In Isolde's closet there were plenty of outfits that could fit that description.

All thanks to Anya, of course.

When the goddess had taken over as Isolde's mother, she had taken it upon herself to stock Isolde's closet with clothes that made Lucien drape jackets over her all the time. As her inprontu daddy, Lucien wasn't having an easy time.

It use to be that Isolde hated those kind of outfits. They made her uncomfortable, had her constantly feeling insecure and self-conscious. Since moving into the fortress with the constant stream of guys that hit on her every chance they got, she had budded as a young woman. She was still insecure, but she was far more comfortable in her skin than she use to be. Especially since some of the men around her, weren't comfortable with her skin.

Her skin being bared, that is.

So after Anya's call, Isolde dug in her closet finding a pair of glittery, grey shorts that could have passed for underwear, a sapphire blue halter top that fit her like a second skin and had a neckline so deep Isolde couldn't wear a bra, and sheer, lace trimmed stocking that when paired with a new pair of heeled, biker boots, added several inches onto her leg length. She threw on a black leather jacket, her beloved biker mitts, gave her hair a primp, checked her weapons and gave her reflection in her vanity a wink before shadows consumed her.

When she stepped out of the shadows she stood in the middle of the group of her friends. Anya cheered upon seeing Isolde, while the males did a double take. Isolde put her hands on her hips, cocking her right hip out in a show of attitude. Thankfully, her eyes had returned to their normal color after she had left the dungeon.

"You called?" Isolde asked.

"Yes I did! Good thing you showed up when you did! You're gonna help your momma." Anya told her.

"You mean you want me to play the part of a lost slut." Isolde asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Kinda, yeah."

Isolde shook her head and waved a hand for Anya to get on with it. Anya smoothed her hands down her hips and fluffed her hair.

"Here goes. You boys had better be properly impressed by our powers and fawn over us accordingly when we're done." Anya told the warriors who murmured agreements.

"I'd actually prefer they didn't fawn." Isolde replied but Anya waved it off.

Anya turned to Isolde and the two went through a quick process of checking their appearances, mimicking each other's actions like they were looking in a mirror as they primped their hair, checked their clevage, and smoothed out clothes.

What little there was.

"Good." Anya told Isolde with an approving nod.

"Awesome as always." Isolde agreed.

The two turned to face the humans milling about around the temple.

"The things we do for our men." Anya muttered.

"Tell me about it." Isolde replied.

Strider chose that moment to lean forward toward Isolde, a grin on his face.

"You wearing any underwear with that, baby girl?" he teased.

Isolde threw him a look over her shoulder before flicking her hair back, whipping him in the face with it. She cocked her hip once more and lift her chin in the air.

"No, I am not." Isolde told him without a single flinch.

With that she followed Anya forward, making sure to give an extra, little shake of her hips that had Strider chuckling. Lucien landed a hard hit to the back of Strider's head for that one, but Isolde just grinned to herself. She walked beside Anya and the two instantly drew all attention to them. Isolde flipped her hair over her left shoulder, hiding the orange butterfly tattooed there, from sight.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" someone asked. "Do you have clearance?"

His name tag read Thomas Henderson. Isolde leaned toward Anya, looping an arm through hers. She gave the man a gaze that could be classified as a bedroom gaze.

"You hear that? Mr. Henderson here is asking if we have clearance. Do we have clearance, Anya?" Isolde remarked.

"Absolutely, we do. We wouldn't be here otherwise, now would we, sweetcakes?" Anya said, as Isolde detached herself from her and circled the man.

The poor man was having a hard time focusing between the two. He wrinkled up his brow as he tried to concentrate.

"What's your names? Everyone on the list is already here, and I don't remember adding another name." he said.

"No need to check again. A storm's coming. You feel a storm coming, Isolde?" Anya asked.

"Oh, most certainly. And the shadows are getting darker."

Lightning lit up the sky and the shadows around the temple grew thicker and darker. Isolde leaned forward, trekking fingers up the man's spine. She grinned a wolf's grin when he shivered.

"You should probably go home. Quickly." Isolde advised him.

The wind was picking up, whipping around Anya as she created the storm. Isolde was the only one not touched by it. Instead, shadows leeked around the girl, spilling from her feet to turn the world around her dark. The men watched the two with awe and lust. Isolde didn't care about either. Rain started to fall from the sky, hail following. None of it touched Isolde, seeming to bounce off an invisible bubble around the girl. People started shouting, running for cover.

Isolde watched as the humans vanished, taking off, and Anya's storm formed a dome around them. No one would be able to see inside as the Lords searched the grounds.

"Clear?" Anya asked.

"Clear." Lucien called.

"Not clear!" Isolde called, spinning on her heel just as Paris caught sight of a gun peeking from behind a still standing wall.

With that, Isolde yanked two blades out of the tops of her boots, giving them a spin before settling them in her hands. Then she shot forward, moving fast and close to the ground. When in heels, the warriors weren't sure how she moved so quickly. All Isolde could tell them was that after so many years of wearing heels to work and having to run all over hell and tarnation in said heels, one got use to it.

Anya created a thick wall out of a tornado, between the Hunters and Lords, but Isolde slipped past that, heading for cover before the Hunters could see her. She hid there, waiting. Anya's wind wall soon vanished, leaving the Hunter to fire on the Lords. Isolde didn't move just yet. Some where off to her far right she heard Paris ask, "Where's Isolde?", but she didn't give away her position.

Yet.

"You out there, cowards?" one Hunter called.

Cowards, huh?

Isolde would show them who the cowards were and it wasn't her brothers. Or her for that matter. Isolde shot from cover then, darting across the clearing. She darted from side to side, barely missing being hit with a few bullets. One grazed her left thigh, but she ignored the sting as she launched herself forward. A Hunter raised a gun to shoot her straight in the face but shadows swallowed Isolde before he could pull the trigger. The man gaped at the spot where she had just been and was unprepared when she hit him from behind, blade digging into his spinal cord.

A bullet slammed into her back, a second and then third joining it, before Isolde rounded on the man who shot her. She bared her teeth in a feral snarl at him. Shadows flickered around him. The man backed away from her, eyes going wide in horror. Isolde struck like a coiled snake, taking the man down with the force of her full weight. They fell clear of the cover, Isolde gathering shadows around herself to hide her as she drove her blade home in the man's heart. Her chest was screaming in protest.

One bullet had tore through her chest near her right lung, causing the organ to burn with each breath she took. But thankfully it had gone completely through. One had gone clear through her chest, coming out between her second and third rib on the right side. The last one had struck her left shoulder blade and she could still feel it there. That was probably going to be the one that hurt the most. She could feel the bullet scraping against bone everytime she moved her arm. She was going to have to have someone else help her remove it.

Things fell silent around her and Isolde called her shadows back to her. When it all cleared, all but one of the Hunters was dead, two by Isolde's own hands. Blood was starting to pool around her and her victim. Lucien was at her side instantly.

"Baby girl?" he asked.

"Bullet...left shoulder blade...hurts." Isolde told him.

Lucien scooped her up into his arms, carrying her over to Amun and asking the man to remove the bullet while he took care of other things. Isolde removed her jacket and bent forward, pulling her hair over her shoulder, thankful that the halter top bared her back. Amun was as gentle as he could be, using a knife to remove the bullet. It didn't stop a hiss from leaving Isolde who was forcing her mind to stay blank. She was pretty good at keeping Secrets out of her head when there was distance between her and Amun, but when he was close, actually had hands on her, it wasn't so easy. So she blanked her mind.

Well...except for a few curses at the pain.

That managed to put a smile on Amun's face though. For some reason, it always amused the men when she cursed. She couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why, but that didn't matter. Finally Amun located the bullet and worked it free. Isolde was cursing aloud by the time the metal fell into his palm. She heaved a sigh when it was finally out.

"Thanks, Amun." she told him.

Amun gave her a nod and dropped the offending bullet into her hand. Isolde held it up and looked it over. She glared at the thing before twisting and throw it away from her. It let off a little of her steam. Hitting Strider in the head with the thing was only an added bonus. She gave the man a grin and flashed him a victory sign with one hand as Lucien appeared beside her.

"Are you alright, baby girl?" he asked.

"I'll be fine. It'll hurt for a little bit, but I'll be fine. If that's all you needed, I'll be returning home." Isolde said.

Lucien nodded, leaning over to kiss the crown of her head. Isolde gave the others a salute with two fingers and sank into shadows. Getting shot was a bitch. So was being stabbed for that matter. When Isolde got back to her room, she showered, managing to bandage herself with the help of mirrors and dressed more comfortably in a pair of short, black shorts, and a grey shirt with black and red swirling designs that was so big it hung off both shoulders. She left her feet bare as she headed through the halls until she found Gideon's room. She gave the door a knock before entering.

The man was cursing-or at least his form of cursing-as he attempted to dig bullets out of his stomach. Isolde couldn't help but shake her head at him.

"Here, let me. You're just going to cause more damage." Isolde told him, stepping forward.

Gideon flopped back on the bed and let her get a pair of tweezers and pull the bullets out. The man muttered to himself as she worked. Isolde, at one point in her life, had thought she would never be able to be a nurse or doctor. The mere thought of blood and gore, made her sick to her stomach. That had been beat out of her by the time she was sixteen. Now she had no trouble pulling the bullets out of Gideon's oozing stomach. By the time the last one was out, half of the bullet holes had stopped bleeding. Isolde bandaged him up and gave him a pat on the shoulder when it was done.

"There you go. Better?" she asked.

"Yes."

Isolde couldn't help a grin on her face. He had an almost pout looking look on his face and she wanted to poke fun at him, but she didn't. She knew how bad it sucked, getting shot. Her own bullet wounds were still bleeding.

"Look at it this way. You're alive and the bastards that shot you are dead." she told him.

Gideon grumbled his version of an agreement, snagging a piece of her hair, something he and some of the other warriors were fond of doing, before realizing she was bandaged.

"You aren't hurt." he remarked.

"Yeah, I know. I took three bullets. Two went straight through. Amun had to pull the third out of my shoulder blade. It'll be fine." she told him.

Gideon, grateful that Isolde didn't even really have to stop to think to figure out what he meant, gave her hair a slight tug. He liked the idea of her getting hurt just about as much as the other men did. Meaning he didn't like it at all.

"Don't be careful." he told her.

"Try taking your own advice. Now I have to go talk to Torin. You rest up. Be a good boy and I might bring you something to eat." she told him, giving him a wink.

Gideon grinned and gave her a shooing motion. Isolde slipped into her shadows, coming out just down the hall from Torin's room. Cameo was heading her way. When the woman saw Isolde, one eyebrow shot up.

"Are those new injuries?" she asked.

Most of the others wanted to kill Cameo or themselves when she spoke. Yes, Isolde heard the sorrow there, but she understood sorrow well enough to not allow herself to be overly affected by Cameo's voice. Not that Isolde would tell Cameo if her voice ever bothered her. She knew it hurt Cameo more than the demon's never ending misery and she didn't want to hurt the woman. Instead she gave Cameo a bright smile.

"Yeah. Anya called me and had me slip over to the Temple of the Unspoken Ones. There were Hunters there and I got shot...three times." Isolde told her.

Cameo's hands went to her hips. She gave Isolde a stern look. She was so much like a big sister that Isolde couldn't help that her grin grew wider.

"You really need to watch it. Just because you don't die like humans, doesn't mean a bullet can't weaken you." Cameo told her.

"I know. You should see Gideon. His whole stomach is riddles with bullet holes." Isolde told her.

Cameo shook her head. It was clear she thought both Isolde and Gideon needed more work on their reflexes in battle. Isolde just gave her a smile she knew Cameo couldn't be annoyed with. Cameo heaved a sigh, the world's sadness found in that one little sound.

"I take it Reyes and Danika are with Torin." Isolde remarked.

"Yeah." Cameo answered with a tone that Isolde knew well.

"Don't worry...you'll have your boyfriend back soon enough." Isolde said, giving her a pat on the shoulder.

Cameo stared at Isolde in shock, but that quickly wore off. She should have known that Isolde would know. Nothing was a secret from Isolde. She was just glad that Isolde wasn't scolding her about the risk skin-to-skin contact with Torin could bring about. Isolde probably knew Cameo and Torin never actually touched each other. The thought that Isolde might actually know exactly what they did, embarrassed Cameo.

Isolde just gave her a smile and ran her fingers over her lips like she was zipping a zipper. Her silent promise that her lips were sealed. Cameo gave her a grateful smile.

"Well I have to report to Torin. I'll see you later, Cameo. We'll make a chocolate cake together!" Isolde told her.

Cameo could almost muster up the ability to smile just like Isolde was doing. She gave the girl a nod and watched as Isolde turned and took off. Isolde came to Torin's door as Danika threw herself at Reyes. Isolde tilted her head to the side as she stood in the doorway.

"I am, apparently, stepping in on a joyous moment." Isolde remarked.

Torin, Reyes, and Danika turned to look at her. Danika's face went from smiling to concerned in a second when she saw the bandaged state of Isolde. She quickly released Reyes and hurried towards Isolde, looking her over.

"You're hurt! You weren't hurt just a few hours ago!" Danika said.

"It's nothing, really. Just a few, little injuries. I'll be fine." Isolde told her, waving it off.

"What happened?" Danika asked.

"I just had to help my daddy and momma, that's all."

Danika raised an eyebrow at her in confusion. Reyes stepped in to offer an explanation instead since it was clear Isolde wouldn't.

"Lucien, and his woman, Anya, adopted Isolde as their daughter and are currently out on an errand."

Danika looked at Isolde in surprise, trying to picture Anya and Lucien as the parents of this young woman. With a mother like Anya, Isolde was getting training to be a very...chaotic woman. Then she remembered that she had been told this before.

"Right, I remember." Danika said.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter. Just a few injuries." Isolde told Danika before moving past her and towards Torin.

She stopped a few feet shy of the man. From the looks of it, Isolde had no problem getting closer to Torin than the others. Then again, Isolde knew for a fact that she wouldn't contract anything from Torin as long as there was clothing between them.

"Daddy had to bring Gideon back." Isolde told him.

Torin raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why?"

"Hunters."

Isolde's eyes slid to Danika, something flashing in their depths. Either Reyes and Torin didn't see it or didn't want to question Isolde. Isolde fixed her eyes on Torin again. She pat her stomach with one hand.

"Gideon, the little fool, ended up with a stomach riddled with bullet holes. I tell you, it's not pleasant to have to help him remove them. But it's funny to listen to him try to curse. Hilarious in fact." Isolde told him.

Torin, even Reyes, had to grin with Isolde when she smiled brightly. Danika realized then just how close Isolde was with the warriors. Hell, she was almost one of them herself. To hurt them, would be to hurt her. Danika didn't know if she could hurt Isolde. She certainly couldn't tell Stefano that Isolde resided in the fortress. Couldn't tell him about her and her ability. Stefano would either want her killed or captured for the Hunters to use. Neither was a fate Danika wanted for the girl.

"And you?" Torin asked, eyeing Isolde and the bandaged peeking out over her clothing.

"Three bullets. Two went right through, the third lodged itself in my left shoulder blade. Amun, it seemed, had the amusing honor of removing it. What is with you guys and finding it funny when I curse? Amun was having a hard time keeping his laughter to himself." Isolde replied, hands going to hips.

"If you could see yourself like we do, baby girl, you would laugh too. You look almost too innocent to have a curse word leave your mouth. Well...most of the time." Torin told her.

"You push your luck, Wicked Man. I'll get a ten foot pole and whack you with it." Isolde told him, shaking a finger in his face.

Torin held his hands up in mock surrender, a grin on his face. Danika could see the brother-sister relationship between those two at least. Isolde turned, locking her eyes on Reyes who was instantly straighter beside Danika.

"And don't think I didn't know you were laughing too, Reyes." Isolde told him.

Reyes's eyes veered off to a far off corner as he locked his hands behind his back. The stance was suppose to appear all innocence but it obviously didn't fool Isolde for a minute. One of her eyebrows shot up.

"One of these days I'm going to get the both of you." Isolde told them.

The two men grinned at her. Isolde rolled her eyes before turning back to Torin.

"Lucien and the others will be remaining at the temple for the time being. I'll let you know if they call me there again." Isolde told him, all serious business again.

Torin nodded, serious himself. Well...as serious as Torin ever really got.

From what Danika knew, the only real warriors in the fortress were Torin, Cameo, a man named Kane, this Gideon man-who was injured-,Aeron-who was chained up-, Maddox-who was busy with Ashlyn-, Reyes-who didn't leave Danika for long-, and-if she really could be counted-Isolde. For Isolde to take off would be to remove a fifth of the fortress's actual fighting power. Or so Danika saw it.

Reyes tapped Danika's shoulder and gestured for her to follow him. The two left Torin and Isolde. Isolde glanced over her shoulder as the door closed. When their footsteps faded, she turned back to Torin.

"Alright, tell me what happened." Torin demanded.

"When I got to the temple it was crawling with humans, Hunters and innocents alike. There were six Hunters in total. One of them is in the dungeon, still alive, right now. The others are dead." Isolde told him.

"And the temple?"

"Cleared of all humans. They're searching it now. Anya is keeping the temple hidden from view with a storm." Isolde told him, before her hands went to her hips. "Though you could have gotten all of this information by texting Lucien."

Torin flashed his teeth at her in a grin. He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his chest.

"And spare you the honor of my presence?" he asked, raising one eyebrow at her.

Isolde scoffed at him. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Torin was just as bad as the rest if he really wanted to be. Sometimes he was worse. His sense of humor could be worse than Isolde's and her pranks when she was bored were often cruel and un-called for. Not that Isolde seemed to care.

"Yeah, well your girlfriend wants to come back so I'm leaving." Isolde told him, turning on her heel.

Torin sat forward quickly, shocked as he gripped the arms of his chair.

"G-girlfriend?" he repeated.

"Is there an echo in here? Yes, girlfriend. That is what Cameo is to you right now." Isolde replied as she headed for the door.

"How'd you-"

Isolde turned and pegged Torin with a look, raising one eyebrow at him.

"Really Torin. You're honestly going to ask that?"

Torin leaned back in his seat. He knew better. There was no need to ask. Isolde knew everything. Or just about everything. Isolde glanced over her shoulder and gave him a wink.

"No worries, Torin. I'm not going to say anything. The others can pretty much figure it out on their own." she told him.

With a wave she left the room. She stepped into her shadows, making sure to stop by and tell Cameo it was all clear for her to go back to Torin, and then she was lost to her shadows again. She came out in Reyes' room. The male was gone and Danika was in the next room over. Isolde stepped up to the door looking the room over. Reyes had converted it into a studio for Danika to use. Danika stood there, surprised by the room.

"What am I going to do with you, Reyes?" Danika said lowly.

"Now that's a million dollar question, isn't it?"

Danika whirled around to find Isolde leaning against the door jamb. She hadn't even heard Isolde enter the room.

"H-how did you...I didn't even hear the door!" Danika gasped.

"I didn't use the door. I never really do." Isolde remarked, looking around. "The guys pretty much know I can pop in on them at any time and expect it."

"Then how?"

Isolde entered the room, looking around at all of the art supplies. If she had all of this back before coming to live at the fortress, her walls back in her apartment would have actually had color instead of being a peeling, sickly looking, off-white.

"I recently developed a new ability. I can travel using a network of shadows. To anyone else it looks like the shadows swallow me. I can also use them to hide me and defend me. It's pretty useful. You can literally call me a shadow stalker." Isolde told her.

"Do you have a lot of those powers?" Danika asked.

"Not sure. I haven't bothered to test it."

That hadn't been the answer Danika was looking for. Isolde didn't seem bothered by it though and perched on one of the stools in the room, folding her hands in her lap. Her voice was still scratchy sounding and she still wore bandages on her throat as well as the ones now wrapping around her chest.

"You get injured a lot, don't you?" Danika asked, eyeing her.

"Yeah, I do. I've been accident prone and a danger magnet for as long as I can remember. Living in this house that just kind of multiples." Isolde answered.

Finally those two toned eyes landed on Danika. Danika had always found Isolde's eyes enchanting. She had never seen someone with eyes like Isolde's. How the vermilion red and sky blue mixed was beautiful. But if Danika hadn't been mistaken, back in the cell her eyes had changed into two different colors. One time they were heavenly blue and the other blood red.

"And your eyes..."

Isolde looked up at her, raising an eyebrow at her. Danika didn't know if she had seen things or what and was relunctant to bring it up with her.

"Strange coloring, aren't they?" Isolde remarked.

"Yes, but..."

"But?"

"They changed. They were red earlier, and electric blue before that." Danika said.

"Ah, yes... **that**. They've only ever changed to a solid blue once before and that was years ago. But lately they've been changing to red more and more. It's a side effect of one of my abilities. Nothing to worry about. At least...nothing for **you** to worry about."

Danika was exactly sure how to take that last comment. The way she said it made Danika a little uncomfortable. She apparently wasn't oblivious in this for Isolde gave her a comforting smile.

"Don't worry, Danika. I would never hurt you. I'm not your enemy. Ashlyn tells me, I need to work on the way I say things because it can make people uncomfortable. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way." Isolde to her kindly.

Danika smile at her. This was sweet Isolde after all. She was barely a grown woman, still so innocent. Or at least...that was how she seemed at times. There had been glimpses of a warrior in Isolde. A fighter at the very core. Then Danika sometimes got a glimpse of a painful, haunting look deep in her eyes. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what went on in the mind behind those two-toned eyes. But she knew, deep down, that Isolde was telling her the truth. Isolde would do nothing to hurt her, no matter what.

But there was something else Danika wanted to ask her.

"You said you know the future," Danika started gingerly.

Isolde's eyes grew sharper and her back straightened slightly. She knew what was coming. She hated that she would have to give Danika the same answers she gave everyone.

"Let me stop you there, Danika. I know what you are going to ask." Isolde said, holding up a hand.

"You do?"

"Yeah. It's the same thing everyone wants when they find out about my extent of knowledge. You want to ask me if your grandmother is really dead or not."

Danika was surprised, but than again Isolde already said she knew the future, not to mention that if everyone asked her the same thing then it was going to be a pretty obvious thing to her.

"She is?" Danika asked hopefully.

"I can't tell you that."

"Why not!?"

Isolde looked Danika straight in the eyes, her expression sad. She didn't really want to deny Danika. Danika could tell that much, but she had to.

"Danika, the future I know is a future that has to happen. For the best of everyone. For that future to stay on track, certain things have to happen. Some things must be found out by you, not by me telling you. In finding out by yourself, you gain something, an experience that puts you one step closer to the future I know. That means I can't answer direct questions like that. I can give hints now and then, but not answers. I'm sorry." Isolde told her.

Danika understood. She understood but that didn't mean she liked it. Isolde carried a heavy burden in the form of the knowledge she had. If an enemy to Isolde and her brothers got a hold of the information that Isolde knew the future, as well as the past and present, Isolde would never know a moment of peace. They would come after her. It the Hunters knew...

No.

Danika could never tell them that. She could never do that to Isolde.

"Reyes and the others...they know about it?" Danika asked.

"Yeah, they do. It frustrates them to no end that I have the answers, but can't give them to them. And it hurts to watch them fumble and suffer, but it's for a good reason." Isolde told her.

"And you?" Danika asked.

Isolde knew what she was asking and shook her head. This was part of it, that she hated.

"I know nothing about my own future. I don't get to have that knowledge. Anything referring to me is all a surprise. Believe me, I wouldn't get injured if I knew my own future. It's not fun."

Danika didn't think that it was. It must have really sucked, knowing how the future would go for all of those around you, knowing everything about them, every happiness and sorrow, but being in the dark about yourself the whole time. Danika didn't think she could have done it. Watching Isolde as she looked around the room, her eyes a display of so many emotions Danika couldn't keep up with them, Danika knew it had to be hard on Isolde.

But Isolde held strong through it all.

"Isolde."

Isolde turned, fixing her eyes on Danika. Both of her eyebrow lifted in a questioning gesture. She even tilted her head slightly to the side. Not to much with the healing state of her neck.

"Yes?" Isolde asked.

"Can I paint you?"

Danika would love to capture an image of Isolde in paint. She would make a lovely image. Isolde, apparently didn't think so. Her eyes went wide and one hand twisted into a long strand of her hair, zebra streaked mixing with the multi-hued of her natural coloring. She looked so sweet, innocent, and insecure at that moment.

"Um...really? Wouldn't you much rather paint Reyes?" Isolde asked.

So she had known about that too. Danika felt the need to paint the man the moment she had seen the studio. Isolde knew that and Danika wondered if she would ever get use to the other female knowing everything.

"Yes," Danika admitted. "but you would make a lovely subject too."

Isolde smiled so sweetly then that Danika had no trouble seeing the insecurity in her. The girl had so very little confidence in herself sometimes that it hurt Danika. A young woman like Isolde should be confident in herself and what she could do. Not insecure.

"Perhaps later, okay? I have things to do today, but I promise I'll sit and let you paint me all you want." Isolde told her.

Danika smiled at her and gave a nod. With that Isolde hopped down off the stool.

"I won't keep you from your painting any longer." she told her.

Danika nodded and as she watched, shadows crept up around Isolde and swallowed her whole. Before she vanished, Isolde gave Danika a wink. Danika stared in shock. Hearing about Isolde's shadow ability, and seeing it, were two different things. But instead of feeling horror, Danika could only wonder how Isolde did it.

How did it work?

Danika gave her head a shake. It was something she could ask Isolde later. For now she was going to paint.


	22. Old Friend, New Enemy

Author Notes: And I am back again. I have one, very devoted reader, who likes to read this...when she isn't grounded from her phone. She knows who she is and she knows I love her, so hopefully she will **not** get angry at me for this. So everyone enjoy this like her and review, please! I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or any of it's characters. I would punch anyone who told Cameo her voice is awful if I did. So rude.

Chapter 22 Old Friend, New Enemy

Isolde took the stairs two at a time. After talking to Danika, Isolde had gone down to the kitchen, cooking up something to eat. She would make dinner a little later, but the tray she held in her hands was going to Gideon who needed to eat and keep his strength up to heal as quickly as he could. When she knocked, Gideon answered, already looking better. Isolde held up the tray and grinned at him. Gideon gratefully took the food, landing a chaste kiss on her cheek. Isolde scolded him to stay in bed until he was healed and took off with a wave.

By this time Reyes would be in the entertainment room with William. Isolde headed there and could hear the men speaking before she ever entered the room. She could William talking just as she reached the door way and stepped inside.

"Yep, that's me. I know, I know. You're humbled I'm here, feel like throwing rose petals at my feet, blah, blah, blah. No need, though. Just try and think of me as a normal guy." William was saying.

"Why don't you try for a sense of modesty, William. Your levels of arrogance is astounding." Isolde remarked as she entered.

Both men turned to look at her. Reyes winced, not really wanting Isolde near him while Pain was in a fit, but William grinned at the sight of her, his eyes sweeping her from head to toe. Isolde suppose she shouldn't have teased him with a kiss when she had been at his house in Greenland.

Hind sight sucked.

"Hey there, beautiful." William greeted.

Isolde threw him a look.

"Down boy." she told him before claiming a seat in a chair across the room from him.

Reyes looked between the two as William grinned. Isolde sat down, crossing her legs and dropping her chin into a hand, the elbow of which was propped up on the armrest. Reyes just turned back to William, picking up their conversation.

"Yes, I made the blade. Why are you here?" Reyes asked.

"Boredom, my friend. Boredom. Everyone just took off, no welcome party for me or anything. I decided to watch some TV, but the only movies you've got are porn and as I've been without a female for the past few weeks, they're just making me jealous. Though, Isolde, you could change that for me." William said, his eyes switching to the girl at the end.

Reyes bared his teeth in warning, but Isolde waved it off. She didn't need Reyes to protect her from some play boy. She knew how to handle men like William. After all...she had handle Paris just fine from the very beginning. Though to be honest, Paris wasn't quite at William's level of arrogance.

"No thanks." she told William, who shrugged like it was her loss.

"The movies belong to Paris." Reyes told William.

"Say no more. I met the man."

"I did not mean, why are you in this room. Why are you in Budapest? Why are you in this fortress?" Reyes asked.

"Answer doesn't change. Boredom. Well, maybe it changes a little. Anya came to visit me not to long ago and put me in a tight spot with the new god king. I failed him, so he burned my home to the ground-even thought he got what he wanted anyway. I've got nowhere else to go and Anya owes me big-time." William replied with a shrug.

"If you came to hurt her, I will-"

"Reyes, you should see his stomach before you finish that sentence." Isolde said idly.

Reyes looked at her before turning to William who raised his shirt to show the scar slashing across his navel.

"I couldn't hurt her even if I wanted to, and believe me, I've wanted to. She stabbed me right here." William said.

"Nice." Reyes replied.

"Girl always has been good with knives." William said, dropping his shirt.

"You should see Isolde in action with her fist. It's worse, I assure you." Reyes told him, rubbing his own nose.

Isolde grinned at that one. William looked at her, his eyes travelling to her hands. He obviously didn't think Isolde's tiny hands could cause much damage, but he didn't say so aloud. Isolde would show him someday. Reyes looked at William and the way the man looked at Isolde. Reyes didn't want the man around Isolde, much less Danika.

"You said you desired a woman?" Reyes asked William who perked up instantly.

"Have one in mind?" he asked, eyeing Isolde.

"Not my sister, but yes." Reyes told him sternly. "Meet at the front door. Fifteen minutes."

William looked between Reyes and Isolde but didn't bother pointing out that they didnt look alike. Reyes turned to Isolde as he got to his feet.

"You aren't coming." Reyes told her.

"Didn't plan on it. I know what you're going to do and I'm happy staying here for now." Isolde told him.

Reyes nodded and left the room. The moment William was sure Reyes was gone, he turned to Isolde. The man raised an eyebrow at her.

"Sister?" he asked.

"Aside from Lucien-and one other-all of the warriors here think of me as their sister. I don't argue with it." Isolde told him with a shrug.

"So you aren't sleeping with any of them." William remarked.

"Not that its any of your business, but no. I'm perfectly fine being single." Isolde told him.

"Sound boring."

"Not to me. Now get going if you want a woman."

William chuckled as he got to his feet and left her in the room alone. Isolde rolled her eyes at him. The man was a world class man-whore. More so than Paris who couldn't help but do what he did. Isolde pushed herself to her feet and headed upstairs. Once in her room, she dropped into her computer chair in front of her computer set-up and tapped a single key on the keyboard, bring the screen to life.

She was writing on a short story she had been working on when there was a knock on her door. The cackling of Disaster in her head told her who was on the other side before she called out for him to enter.

Kane pushed the door open and stepped inside. His eyes darted around the room. He had never been in her room before and found that it fit her. The low played, hard rock playing from speakers, the feminine, yet edgy look to the room, and the store of stolen weapons that covered one wall. Kane even picked out one of his favorite knives among them. When she had gotten her hands on it, he didn't know. He located Isolde as she spun her chair around to look at him.

"What is it, Kane?" she asked, genuinely surprised to see him.

Kane remembered what Lucien had told them not long after they had arrived. Isolde knew everything about their pasts, present, and futures, but she knew nothing of her own future. She wouldn't have known he was coming to see her. It had to suck to have it work that way. But those thoughts were chased away when her eyes landed on him.

How the others could focus with those two-toned eyes fixed on them, was beyond him. He always felt the need to stare at them. When mixed with the way Disaster sighed and cackled when she was around, he couldn't help but stare at her.

Disaster loved the girl. Isolde was a disaster walking herself. So accident prone, causing chaos rather she meant to or not, and then there was her powress in battle. Disaster loved it all. It was a new feeling to Kane. Especially since, standing there in her room, Disaster didn't feel the need to bring the roof down on his head or explode the light bulbs in the room.

"Kane? Are you alright?"

Isolde's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He focused on her once more, finding her concerned look fixed on him. His eyes locked on hers and quickly moved away to eye the bandages he could see peeking out from under the shirt that hung off both shoulders.

"Cameo told me you were injured after joining the others at the temple. I just wanted to check in and when I came by eariler, you weren't in here." he told her.

One of the prettiest and brightest smiles he had ever seen, lit her face then. Her expression softened. Usually she had a somewhat guarded expression on her face whenever he saw her. She was always gentle and kind to him, but there had always been a sense of guarded-ness to her. She didn't have that now.

"Thanks for the concern, Kane, but I'll be fine. I've had worse injuries since moving in here. Truthfully...I've had worse before that. I'll heal. Gideon was in worst shape than me." she told him.

But Kane wasn't worried about Gideon. Gideon was a warrior to his very core. He had been in fights like that since his creation thousands of centuries ago. Isolde was still a baby compared to them. And according to Lucien, she had once been human. Her healing powers took longer than their's. It was a bigger deal that she was injured. None of them knew how far her ability to heal could go.

Of course, he didn't say any of this to her. Not that he had to. Isolde raised an hand, hiding a laugh behind it.

"Kane, your thoughts are as clear as day to me." she told him.

Kane felt his face heat up a few degrees and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. He wasn't usually easy to read but for some reason, Isolde was good at it.

"I didn't...uh..."

Kane trailed off and Isolde smiled, shaking her head at him.

"It's fine. You're concerned about my ability to heal. I've worried about it too. I don't know how far my abilities go, or if anymore will pop up. Let's face it, to be honest, I don't know anything about myself anymore. It's a legitimate concern." Isolde said.

Kane opened his mouth, about to say that he was glad she agreed with him, but Isolde held up a single finger to stop him.

"But, that doesn't mean it's something for **you** to concern yourself with. You have enough of your own troubles and concerns, Kane. Don't add mine to it." she told him, kindly.

Kane wondered, then, if Isolde knew how he felt on the inside with Disaster constantly hammering a wedge between him and his friends. One look at the knowledgable eyes of the young woman and he had no doubt that was the case. Kane rubbed at the back of his neck. What could he possibly say to a woman like this? He hadn't fumbled with what to say to a woman in centuries. Mostly because he had been avoiding them for the last few centuries. Isolde obviously picked up on that too for she smiled.

"I'm not going to bite you, Kane. I reserve that for other times. If you want to say something, say it." she told him.

Okay then...

"You're unusual."

Isolde broke out into laughter. It lit up her face, making her look younger than she had ever appeared and she already looked young.

"Yeah, that's true. At least I admit it." she told him.

Kane smiled along with her. He couldn't help it. He didn't see why Sabin disliked her so much. Then again...yeah he did. Sabin liked to be the one that knew the most. Isolde had him beat by a long run. Sabin probably felt like his toes were being stepped on.

"But who wants to be normal, huh? The word itself is hyprocitical. Everyone has a different definition to what the word means. It's just a figment of your imagination. At least I'm comfortable being who I am." she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

She winced when there was a sharp pain from her left shoulder. That was probably going to ache for a few more hours. From what Cameo had told him, Amun had to dig a bullet out of her shoulder blade. That would of had Kane favoring the shoulder for a little while. Disaster cackled at that.

"This is strange." Kane said.

When Isolde raised an eyebrow to urge him to continue, he did. He felt like he could tell her and she wouldn't judge him for it.

"The effect you have on Disaster...he's always please to be around you. And then you can hear him and even touch him, taking on some of his effects. He never wants to act up when you're around. It's all strange. So..."

Kane fumbled for a word to fit it, but Isolde provided one no problem.

"Abnormal?"

Kane nodded.

"I know. But I'm nothing if not abnormal by any standards. I would think you would be happy though."

Kane raised an eyebrow at her. Happy? Why would she think that. Isolde smiled, pulling her legs up to sit cross legged in her chair.

"You hate your demon. I know. You want it gone because it drives a wedge between you and the others. I know that too. You're always left behind, always causing trouble, always considered a liability to the group's cause. I know that all. And it's all because of the demon. It tears you up inside, makes you a mess. I know."

Kane felt his heart thud painfully in his chest and rubbed the spot just above his heart. Isolde really did know everything. She had nailed him right on the head. She gave him a soft smile, offering him understanding with no judgement. Something he didn't expect to get from this girl he had met not too awfully long ago.

"If being around me means the demon isn't acting up, I would think that would make you happy. It's a much needed break from the disasters of...well Disaster." she added.

Kane swallowed, working past a lump that had formed in his throat. She had got him down to a T and he wasn't sure what to do with that.

"You really do know a lot." he remarked.

"Yeah, I do. To be honest though, I'm a sucker for a man with the strength to continue smiling in the face of his friends, even when he's torn up inside, so I might know a little more about you than the others. Sorry if that sounds creepy." she told him, smiling sheepishly with insecurity mixed in.

How could a woman look as fragile as this one and fight like a damn demon? Kane had no idea, but that was Isolde. She thought it was creepy? He was honored that she felt he was strong. He didn't think he was and she probably knew that too. Kane stepped fully into the room, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the door.

"It's not creepy, just...surprising." he replied.

"You'll get over being surprised by me after a while. Give it some time and you'll come to expect the unexpected from me. Or at least that's what the others have said." she told him. "But don't worry about me. I have no business repeating any of that and I apologize for doing so. That's your business, not mine."

Kane shook his head. Sabin really was off base for thinking the way he was about this female. The only reason she messed with him was because he was almost always hostile towards her.

"Don't worry about it. Just...don't tell the others." he told her.

"Deal. My lips are sealed."

Isolde mimicked zipping her lips and locking them, before throwing the imaginary key over her shoulder. When he smiled, she returned it. Then her eyes went to a watch on her right wrist.

"Lucien will be back any time now for you and Gideon. If he catches you in my room with the door close, he might just skin you." she told him.

Kane thought about the over protective, fatherly way Lucien acted towards Isolde. Rather they were related by blood or not, Isolde was Lucien's little girl and he wouldn't stand for any...inappropriate advances towards her like being in her room with the door closed. Another reason why the scarred man disliked William. Kane was not going to be caught on Lucien's Daddy Radar.

"Thanks for the warning." he told her, opening the door and turning to leave.

"But Kane," Kane turned to look at her. "if you ever want a break from Disaster, I could always use a beta reader for my writing."

Isolde gave him a wink, putting a smile on his face. He gave her a nod and left, closing the door behind him. Isolde smiled at her closed door. She hoped he took her up on her offer. Kane really could use a close friend who understood how he felt.

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde stopped by to see Torin not long after Lucien had claimed Kane and Gideon. The man told her to stay on guard because Hunters had been seen on the hill. Isolde nodded, returning to her room. She tossed aside her clothes, checking her injuries. The bullet wound to her left shoulder was healed, pink skin showing where the bullet had ripped into her skin. The other two were still healing. She re-wrapped them and pulled on her ass-kicker clothes, making sure all her weapons were strapped on before she allowed her shadows to swallow her.

She appeared in Reyes' room, half way through his, Danika's, and Lucien's conversation and remained hidden in the shadows to listen. Lucien was questioning Danika about Pandora's Box, trying to lure her into a trance state to get answers but it didn't work. Reyes finally stepped in, which only annoyed Lucien.

"Reyes." Lucien snapped.

"No." Reyes replied.

He was holding Danika up to keep her from falling over and the woman was insistent that he know she didn't betray him.

"I didn't betray you." she told him.

"I know." Reyes replied.

"Wait. What? You know?

"Yes."

"Well, why were you angry with me?"

"Angry? I was not angry." Reyes said in confusion.

Isolde couldn't help thinking that Reyes could be quite dense at times. He had no idea how he came off at times. She was half tempted to smack some sense into him, but that wouldn't get her very far. Pain would just turn it to pleasure and he would never gain a single ounce of sense from it.

"You stormed away from me. You barely even looked at me." Danika said.

"Angel, I am new to this sense of...caring. I hated that you were speaking to a Hunter, I worried for you safety and I did not want to scare you away with my fervency. Also, I knew you were trying to protect me when you lied to the Hunter about the number of warriors here. But I also knew you had created problems for us that you didn't intend." Reyes explained.

"I don't understand."

"Now they think we are all here, when there are only a few. They will send more men, bring more weapons." Reyes told her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think...I just thought...Like Lucien said, Stefano doesn't trust me. He might assume I was lying. He might think only a few of you are here." Danika said.

"I can bring the others here. We'll prepare for the worst. Isolde. I know you're there, baby girl. Come out." Lucien said, turning in Isolde's general location.

Danika's head flew up as the shadows pulled back, revealing Isolde leaning against the wall. She was decked out in weapons, her hair pulled back. In the all black clothes with weapons showing all over her, Danika could almost imagine the girl as the demon in battle that she had heard others refer to her as. The girl smiled when the three looked at her.

"Hi, Daddy." she said in her most perfect, sweet-and-innocent act.

Lucien knew better but just smiled at her. He turned to her, the smile vanishing as quickly as it came. She was geared up for battle and, for now, he would treat her as another of the warriors, not his daughter. That was how she wanted it.

"Go to Torin's room. I'll be flashing in the others shortly." he told her.

Isolde nodded. She gave Danika a confident and reassuring smile before her shadows swallowed her whole again. Cameo was already in Torin's room, watching the security feed when she arrived. Both looked up when Isolde stepped clear of her shadows. Isolde cleared the distance and came to a stop next to Cameo to look at the screens.

"Lucien is about to start flashing the others home." Isolde told them.

"Good. We'll need them." Cameo said.

Isolde studied the screens. They were coming after Danika. Isolde would be damned if she missed this. This was her home now, these people were her family. That included Danika. If the Hunters wanted to come in here and harm them, Isolde was going to rip them apart.

Slowly Lucien began to appear with the others, flashing in Sabin last. Even William joined them. Isolde remained where she had stood, watching the screens.

"Explosion?" Torin asked.

Even to Isolde he sounded too gleeful.

"Yes. Blow them to hell. The only good Hunter is a dead one." Maddox growled.

"No." Isolde said firmly.

"If they manage to bypass the pits, nets and arrows, let them inside. An explosion will draw innocent humans to the hill, and that we cannot allow." Lucien said in agreement with Isolde.

"Ashlyn-"

"I've already flashed the women to safety, though neither went peacefully. With Anya as her guard, your female will be fine." Lucien said, cutting off Maddox.

"Very well." Maddox consented.

"We let them inside and our home will be painted red. I, for one, will not enjoy cleaning. And with Aeron locked up, I know that duty will fall on my shoulders." Paris remarked.

"I'll help you, Paris." Isolde promised him, patting him on the arm.

"I've fought Hunters a lot longer than you have. Believe me, it's better to kill them here than to fight them in the city where innocents can be harmed and used against us. And they will use innocents. Women and children make wonderful shields." Sabin remarked.

"All for the greater good." Cameo mocked.

"This is fun." William remarked.

Sabin turned a glare on the man.

"What are you doing here?" Sabin asked.

"The warrior is our welcomed guest and might be an asset in the coming battle." Lucien said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Mommy made him invite William." Isolde piped in, making her "daddy" shoot her a look that put a smile on her face.

"We are dealing with more than we ever imagined." Lucien added.

"What are you talking about?" Sabin asked.

"Galen."

All eyes turned to Isolde who was watching the screens once more.

"Lucien, what is she talking about?" Paris asked.

"She is talking about our old friend Galen. I have just learned the Hunters are led by him." Lucien replied.

"Galen? Surely you're joking." Sabin said with a laugh, the others laughing as well. "We haven't heard from him in thousands of years."

The hard look on Isolde's face when she looked up put an end to the laughs. She was serious and that meant Lucien was too. Lucien shook his head.

"This is not a joke. As Ashlyn informed us, Danika is the All-Seeing Eye. One of her paintings has revealed it as so. They asked her to go to the roof. They want to steal her from us." Lucien told them.

"How dare he do this? Wasn't one betrayal enough for him?" Strider asked.

"If he's controlling the Hunters, could he also be pulling the strings at the Hunter-infested Institute Ashlyn used to work for? She once mentioned that no one had ever seen its president because he never went out in public. Galen, do you think?" Maddox asked.

"Maybe. Ironic that a facility that prides itself on human superiority could be secretly run by a half demon, half immortal. How do you think he manages to keep the Hunters from knowing the truth about him? They cannot know or they would revolt. And why would Galen want us dead, anyway?" Sabin questioned.

"Why did he convince us to open the box, and then turn on us? He had to win, always, no matter the price." Strider remarked.

"Look who's talking, Defeat." Maddox retorted.

"Perhaps he always planned to try to crush us, to rise above us-even the gods-and win the heavens."

All eyes turned to Isolde how had remained uncommonly quiet through this all. The girl was focusing on nothing, just staring ahead of herself.

"Isolde?" Strider asked.

Isolde's eyes shifted to him. Those eyes shifted over them all and finally she heaved a sigh, shoving a hand into her bangs.

"The grand complexity of this whole scheme is beyond your comprehension at this point and I cannot explain it to you yet. All I can tell you is that Galen has his reasons. Then and now. Though that doesn't excuse how he's gone about it. This is just ridiculous. He's taken it too far, no matter his reasons." Isolde replied, her eyes on the screens.

"For once, you and I agree." Sabin told her.

"Gee, that's great."

The sarcasm in Isolde's tone had Sabin glaring at her, but she pretended not to see.

"Whatever his reasons, if you're right and we're about to have a cozy little family reunion, I'm going to take his head. His skull will look nice on my nightstand. Save me from having to get up to use the bathroom at night." Sabin added.

"That's disgusting." Isolde said.

"And I tell the jokes here. Anyway, I wouldn't get my hopes up that he'll make an appearance." Paris added.

"Hopes up. Galen is Hope. Funny. Too bad I think you're right. For whatever reason, Galen hasn't yet revealed himself to us. He doesn't know that we know he's the leader of the Hunters." Torin said, grinning.

"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you." Isolde mutter, but she refused to explain further.

"I think we should send him a warm fuzzy card and invite him over. And by card I mean all of his Hunters in body bags." Strider said.

"That is so wrong. This is going to be absolutely yawn inducing." Gideon said, gleefully.

"So. Did we decide to let the Hunters inside or not? They want Danika, the All-Seeing Eye, and they'll be desperate because they think she'll be able to help them find the box, ending us. Letting them inside will place them closer to her." Torin said.

"Nope, not closer. Reyes is escaping with her. She'll be moving farther away, while the Hunters close in on us." Sabin said.

"And I will be joining them after this." Isolde added, stretching her arms out and popping the knuckles on her hands as she did.

"Isolde-"

"I've made up my mind, I'm going, and I'd like to see you try to stop me." Isolde said, cutting Lucien off.

Lucien dropped his head into his hands. Isolde was so stubborn that he didn't know what to do with her at times. At least after the fight she would be Reyes' problem.

"How's she an artifact, anyway?" Cameo asked.

"Gods, woman. Your voice is like death. Can you shut it until I leave the room? Please. Seriously, you're like the one woman in the world I want to resist." William said.

And he received a hard kick between the legs from Isolde. Winces rang out through the room as William cursed, bending double.

"Apologize to her. Now. Or next time I won't kick your balls, I'll cut them off and feed them a hellhound." Isolde told him sternly.

"I agree. Shut it or you'll find yourself in one of Strider's body bags." Torin snapped in agreement.

William, valuing his privates, apologized to Cameo and the woman's glare became the closet thing to a smile any of them had seen in centuries. Isolde gave a firm nod, stepping back to stand at Cameo's side. The woman slipped an arm around her shoulders and gave one a squeeze, careful of her left one.

"Ashlyn said the artifacts are guarded by the monster Hydra, and Anya later confirmed it. Even Isolde confirmed it. No one has been guarding the girl." Cameo said.

"Perhaps the Hydra used to guard her. Danika's had to be around since ancient times, but obviously isn't immortal so has had to be reborn. Maybe reincarnated. Or maybe the ability is passed through her bloodline, which is why, according to the gods, the entire family has to be annihilated. Or perhaps Hydra simply lost h-"

"Reyes is Hydra." Isolde piped in, cutting off Sabin.

All eyes turned to Isolde. Isolde spread her hands like it should have been obvious.

"Come on now. You've seen him with her. I thought it was obvious. I told you, when you first discovered that Hydra was protecting the artifacts, that it was only true in a few cases. This is just a strange case." Isolde told them.

Lucien nodded.

"Let them in. We'll fight them here. Safest that way." Lucien told Torin who nodded.

Several eyes turned to the screens, watching the Hunters as they tried to sneak up the hill. They would of had an easier time sneaking up in broad daylight.

"Shit. They're like locusts. I mean, seriously. Bugs. There's probably a hundred of them out there." William remarked.

"Scared?" Sabin asked.

"Hell, no. I think I just came. Or maybe that was from the lovely Isolde manhandling me." William replied, grinning at Isolde as she heaved a sigh and shook her head.

"Seriously William, I'm going to castrate you and turn you into one of the women you love so much." Isolde told him.

William's grin only grew. He didn't think Isolde was serious, but the others knew he would find out soon enough that Isolde made good on her threats sooner or later.

"How long till they hit?" Strider asked.

"Four minutes. Maybe three. Depends on how smart they are. Some already fell in our pits, and some were killed by the hidden arrows." Torin replied.

"They won't storm through the front door all at once." Sabin said.

"No, they'll split up. Some at the ground level, others through windows." Isolde said.

"Then we'll split up, as well. My men and William will take the hill. Yours can have our leftovers, Sabin." Lucien said.

"What you mean, is we'll fight the bulk of Hunters. I knew I loved you for a reason." Sabin replied.

Lucien, Paris, Maddox, and William left then, Isolde remaining behind to watch the screens.

"Should we free Aeron? Let him join the fight? He's a good man to have at your side." Sabin said.

"Hell, no. He'll go for our heads, as well as the Hunters. What's the matter? You scared? Well, don't be. I'll have a monitor trained on every floor of the fortress. Program your cells to vibrate and I'll alert you as the Hunters enter, telling you where they are." Torin replied.

"How did I ever let you go?" Sabin asked.

"You didn't. I left you to follow Lucien."

"You know that can be taken so wrong in so many ways." Isolde pointed out.

Both men shot her a look, though Sabin couldn't help finding a little amusement in the joke.

"Isolde, you know what to do." Torin told Isolde.

"Aye, aye. I'm off then." Isolde said, giving them a two finger salute before she vanished into shadows.

Isolde remained in the shadows, slinking from one hall to the other, keeping her eyes peeled. When the Hunters rushed in Isolde went to work, sneaking between Hunters and slitting throat and shooting other in the heart, leaving dying Hunters in her wake. She stumbled when there was an explosion that rocked the whole building.

"So much for no explosions." Isolde muttered.

She took off for the next hallway. She had to make her way to the east hall while taking out Hunters along the way. Sabin would be faced with Stefano and in some serious trouble. She swung into the next hall and saw Gideon up ahead. A Hunter was sneaking up on the man and Isolde threw herself at him, taking him down. Gideon turned but didn't see her, his eyes darting around.

"It's Isolde, Gideon. I'm hiding in my shadows. Get to the east hall. Sabin needs help." Isolde told him before sinking into the shadows.

She reappeared in the east hall, just a hand full of yards from Sabin and Stefano. She kept her shadows thick around her, watching and waiting.

"Look at you, Doubt. You must be in pain. How sad." Stefano said, standing over Sabin.

Isolde gnashed her teeth together. She didn't mind when the others mocked Sabin, and of course she could, but she would be damned if she let a Hunter do it. Patience, Isolde, she told herself. All good things to those who wait. She watched Sabin inch a hand behind him, grabbing a knife.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you." Stefano told him, raising a gun to point it at Sabin's face.

If Sabin took a shot to the head at that range, he would be dead to the world for hours. He wouldn't be able to defend himself.

"We both know you're not going to kill me." Sabin said but he stilled none the less.

"Perhaps we do. But I have no problem hurting you, taking you to the brink of death. My team includes doctors who know how to save a man who's only a heartbeat away from extinction." Stefano replied.

"Aren't you a sweetie?"

Sabin was getting sluggish. A drug, no doubt. Isolde crept around Stefano, quietly moving so not to draw either man's attention. If they saw the shifting of the shadows, they didn't show it.

"Yes. Yes, I am. I didn't slice off your limbs as I wanted. I didn't carve Darla's name in your chest." Stefano replied.

"She hated you, you know? You think I lured her away from you, but the truth is, she ran willingly into my arms."

"Liar! She loved me! She would never have betrayed me. But you and your demon messed with her mind, changed her. The last eleven years I've prayed and hoped you would take a lover so I could take her from you, but you never did and I'm through waiting. I'll take your friends, your dignity instead. And ultimately, I'll take your life."

Isolde came to a stop just behind Stefano. The man would never know she was there until she striked.

"And such violence will make the world a better place? What of peace and harmony?" Sabin asked.

"Where's the girl?" Stefano asked instead, changing the subject.

"Maybe we sold her. Maybe cut her up and had her for breakfast." Sabin said.

"Where is she, demon? She has to be nearby. You know she'd been with us, and wouldn't want her far from your side." Stefano replied.

Sabin tried to get his demon to turn on Stefano but the demon replied that Stefano had closed his mind and that he needed a distraction. Then the demon perked up and gave a happy cheer. Sabin questioned why the demon was so happy, to which the demon replied, _Isolde_. Sabin's eyes scanned the hall. He didn't see anything that hinted at Isolde being there. But Doubt was calling out to the girl to distract Stefano. Sabin could hear Isolde's thought through Doubt as she opened her mind to the demon.

 _Talk to him. I'm almost in position._

Sabin was suddenly grateful for Isolde's link to the demons. He turned his attention back to Stefano.

"This brings back memories, doesn't it? We've been in this position before, only you were the one wounded. You and your men raided my home in New York, thought to sneak in and take us while we slept. You soon learned the error of your ways. Won yourself a personal introduction to my favorite blade. Got you in the stomach, yes?" Sabin said.

"Yes, and you assumed I was dead. Packed up your stuff and moved on, leaving me there to heal, my hatred only growing."

Doubt locked in on Stefano's mind then and Sabin caught sight of a shadow rippling and shifting closer to Stefano's back.

"Tell me about the girl. The truth this time. You wouldn't have killed her. She is the Eye." Stefano said.

"The what now? Did you just say she was an eye? Her peepers were nice, but I wouldn't define the girl by them." Sabin smarted off.

He picked up the hint of laughter rippling from Isolde, to Doubt, and into his own mind. She hadn't closed her mind back off just yet and was apparently amused. The whole time she was inching closer and Doubt was whispering into Stefano's head.

"Stop that!" Stefano snapped.

"Stop what?" Sabin asked.

"Stop filling my head with those poisoned thoughts. Is that what you did to Darla? Is that how you killed her?"

"She killed herself. You look as if your head is about to explode. Anything I can do to help? Like tell you you're working for a demon? Or that there's a creepy, stalking chick sneaking up on you who will cut out your heart and laugh in your face?" Sabin asked.

Despite himself, Stefano threw a quick glance over his shoulder. He didn't see anything, couldn't pick up on the barest trace of shifting shadows that was Isolde. His eyes snapped back to Sabin.

"I don't care what happens to your demon when you're dead. I want you gone. Punished. Once and for all." Stefano declared.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Stefano twisted around as Isolde's voice sounded. A blade shot towards the man who howled with rage and pain when it buried itself in his thigh.

"Where the hell-!?"

Stefano cut of, instantly rounding on Sabin when he didn't see anything. The gun came up and Sabin moved just in time to miss a bullet to the head. He jumped up, but Isolde decide to swoop in. Still invisible she darted in low, catching Stefano at the knees. The man was knocked off his feet, cursing and spiting. Sabin kicked the gun away. Stefano scrambled away, confused and angry, but Sabin could move no farther.

"How the hell are you doing that!? Never mind. We aren't finished." Stefano told him, just as Gideon reached the scene.

"No, we're not."

Stefano was yanked to his feet by his shirt collar. Shadows drained away revealing a very pissed off Isolde, her face just inches from Stefano's.

"Let's get this straight. I can mock him and knock him around, but if you ever point a gun at **any** of them again, you'll wish I had done more than this." Isolde told him darkly, her voice promising a thousand painful deaths.

Stefano stared into the girl's eyes with shock. It gave Isolde the opening to heave with all her might...and toss the man out the already broken window. Isolde darted to the side of the window, staying out of sight as Gideon rushed to look out it. Sabin was shocked. Isolde seemed truly, absolutely livid that Stefano had dared to point a gun at him.

"I totally believe what I'm seeing. Fucker was not caught by our favorite friend and his feathered wings." Gideon muttered firing his gun until he emptied it. "Great! Nailed him."

Isolde didn't move, staying out of sight as Galen came into view. Gideon backed up, but Isolde didn't move, just waited. The girl had more patience then Sabin ever thought.

"Now you know. Now the real fun begins." Galen called.

Isolde whipped into view then, gun raised. Her first two bullets nailed Galen, one in the chest, the other in the throat. The third missed as Galen ducked and the forth hit his thigh. Galen pulled out of firing range and Isolde braced a foot on the broken window to peer out at him.

Galen met the gaze of the young woman he had never seen before. Eyes of a bright vermilion lined with equally bright sky blue glowered down at him. Wind caught in red tinted, brown hair streaked through with zebra print, blowing the silky strands into her face, but she didn't care. She held a gun in one hand and a blade in the other, a cold, merciless look on her face and knowledge shining bright in her eyes. Shadows crept around her as if seeking to caress her. She wasn't something he had expected to find here with his old friends.

"Yeah, the real fun does begin now. Now get the hell out of here before I plant my knife between those eyes of yours. I'll make sure to cut off your wings and disembowl you after you hit the ground." she told him, her voice soft, low, and oh-so calm. "And consider the shot to the throat pay back for your damn Hunter who shot me in the throat."

Galen didn't stick around to see if she would make good on her promise. When she turned Sabin was out for the count, Gideon at his side. Isolde heaved a sigh.

"Take care of him, Gideon. I'm going to help the others." Isolde told him.

"I won't." Gideon replied.

Isolde stepped into shadows, finding herself in Kane's part of the fortress. The man was having a hard time battling Hunter while light bulbs exploded and bits of plaster fell to nail him on the head. The demon was cackling when she entered the hall. The moment it sensed her the destruction stopped and the demon cackled even more. It knew Isolde would provide the disaster-for the Hunters-that it craved.

Kane turned just in time to watch Isolde plow into a Hunter that had been about to attack him from behind. She took the man down with a knife to the neck, and popped back to her feet. She was at his side in an instant.

"Need some help?" Isolde asked.

Kane smiled at her. He turned to put his back to hers.

"I welcome it." he told her.

Isolde nodded, pressing her back to his. She had another knife in her hand as she looked at the Hunters. She felt Kane tense behind her.

"Ready when you are." she told him.

"Right!"

The two broke apart. Isolde darted under a man's guard, coming up with a slash of her knife that caught the man at the throat. She kicked him backwards, sending his body crashing into his comrades behind him. Isolde threw the knife then. The blade buried itself hilt deep in a man's chest. Her hand now free, she pulled a gun from it's holster on her thigh. Three more men fell to her bullets. Just then an arm snaked around her waist. Isolde would have screamed if she hadn't caught sight of Kane out of the side of her eyes.

Kane heaved her up out of the way of a spray of bullets. He fired on the man responsible, killing him. More Hunters came at him from behind. Isolde, who was now thrown over Kane's shoulder, took them down, firing on them from her awkward position.

"Down!" Isolde warned, pushing on the back of Kane's head.

The man ducked, taking her with him, just as two more men fired on them. As they hit the floor, Kane and Isolde rolled apart, both coming up, weapons blazing. They hadn't had a single spar together and yet Isolde felt just at home fighting with him as she did fighting with Lucien, or Anya, or Paris, or any of the other original six warriors of the fortress.

When finally they cleared that part of the fortress, Isolde stood beside Kane, trying to catch her breath. She had acquired a few slices here and there, but nothing major.

"Well that...was a...good work out." she said, panting between the words.

"You good?" Kane asked.

"Oh, yeah. Completely. Just need...to catch...breath. How about...you?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I'm good. You have blood on your face." he told her.

Before she could do anything, he took hold of her chin, tilting it. He reached out to swipe a dot of blood off her cheek, turning her head to make sure there was no more on her face.

"Thanks." she replied as he released her.

The two looked around them at the lifeless bodies around them.

"Do you think that's all of them?" Kane asked.

"Galen and Stefano have already retreated. If any of them are left alive, they would be smart and follow suit. But I doubt any are left alive." Isolde replied. "I guess we go find out."

Kane looked down at her in surprise.

"Galen and Stefano were here?" he asked.

Isolde nodded. She started picking her way over the dead bodies. Kane followed her, checking that each of the Hunters were truly dead. He'd give Isolde one thing, if she wanted someone dead, they were dead.

"Sabin came face to face with Stefano and is currently taking a nap. He lost too much blood and Stefano apparently injected him with some kind of drug. I threw Stefano out a window and Galen caught him and flew off. Didn't even have the common courtesy to stick around and play! But I got three bullets in him before he left." Isolde told him.

Kane looked down at her as they walked. She was currently looking over a gash in her side. The bleeding had already stopped and it was starting to weaving itself closed. It won't be of any trouble to her after another hour or so.

"You know, you look about as vicious as a new born baby, but the moment you go into battle mode...I fear for your opponents." Kane told her.

Isolde looked up at him in surprise but then a smile fell on her face. It almost looked sheepish. She scratched at one cheek.

"Yeah well...a girl has to defend herself and those she cares about, right? I learned at a young age to fight for what I want. I want this place safe and they threatened it. I dealt with it accordingly." Isolde replied.

"You sound a little like Sabin."

Isolde screwed up her face, giving Kane a sour look that made him smile. To her it wasn't a compliment, though to be honest...Kane wasn't sure he meant it to be a compliment. More like a fact of the matter.

"Please don't say that! Even if it is true." she begged.

Kane chuckled, smiling even when Isolde gave him a punch in the side. There was a playful smile on her face as she looked up at him. Then a busted light bulb and a missing patch of ceiling caught her eye and she stopped.

"You know, if that happens with you just walking by, I'd hate to see your room." she remarked looking up at it.

Kane's smile vanish and he rubbed at the back of his neck. He was well aware of the damage his presence caused. His room was a disaster zone. Irony in the extreme given his demon. Isolde looked at him and reached out to take his hand in hers. She gave him a smile when he looked at her in surprise.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I can honestly tell you that it won't always be like this." she told him. "And if it'll keep the little monster under control for you, I could move my room closer to your's. You might be able to keep something in your room without him destroying it."

The offer was so incredible sweet, yet...sounded so wrong. As a man who had lived thousands of centuries, when a woman offered to move her room closer, that usually meant one thing. If Kane knew Isolde any less than he already did, than he would have thought she had meant that. But he knew enough-which wasn't very much-to know she was simply trying to make him feel better.

That didn't stop the thoughts from going through his head though.

"You would do that?" he asked.

Isolde shrugged, showing that, to her, it was no big problem. She probably wasn't that attached to her room so much as the things in it.

"A more isolated hallway where the only demon I have to contend with waking up in the morning is Disaster. Not to mention some of the others would be less likely to drop by and give me a hard time because they haven't yet figured out that Disaster stops destroying things with me around? Yeah, I would. But you would have to help me move my things." she told him.

She made it sound like she was using him for gain, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew well enough that she would do it for him and him alone. For the moments of peace that came from having her near, he would move her whole room by himself.

"But it might have to wait until I get back."

Kane looked up at her. Then he remembered, Isolde was going after Reyes and his woman. He didn't really understand why, but Isolde wasn't in the habit of explaining herself. It was more of a guessing game where Isolde was concerned.

"You're serious about this?" he asked.

"Well of course I am. You obviously want a little peace in your life and I'm sure the others would be grateful for the lack of destruction. That demon of your's is a little tyrant and you need a little control in your life. He isn't going to let you have it, but seems inclined to be a good boy when I'm around. So, why not?" Isolde replied. "It's just moving my bedroom. It's not a big deal."

If she saw it that way, he couldn't really argue with her. Besides, if there was one thing about Isolde he did know, it was that she tended to be more stubborn than the rest of them. Then she leaned forward to look up at him, her hands going to her hips.

"Or is it too weird for you? You wouldn't be the first to feel creeped out or hesitant to have me that close. I swear though, I won't bite. Well...not while you're asleep." she added.

Kane blinked down at her. It took him a moment to realize that she was joking with the last part. When she smiled, he couldn't help doing the same.

"So you would bite me while I'm awake?" he asked.

"Highly possible. I'm a biter." she replied, snapping her teeth at him playfully.

"Yeah, Lucien told us. He said you took a chunk out of his arm."

"Oh, shut up! That is **so** not what I meant and you know it." she replied, giving him a playful punch on the arm.

Kane laughed. By this point they had reached the main hall. Others looked up as they came into view, a few of them surprised to see the two together and even more surprised to see them joking around as if they had done it their whole lives. Lucien approached then, looking between the two before his eyes settled on his daughter.

"Baby girl?" he asked.

"I'm fine. Just a few gashes. I actually managed to stay in one piece this time. And Kane helped by watching my back. Good man to have there." she told him, reaching out to pat Kane on the chest.

Lucien looked at Kane giving him a grateful nod of the head. Isolde looked around at the others, taking note of the injuries. Sabin would be down for the rest of the night at least. Maybe longer. Probably longer. Everyone else looked to be in one piece. That was good. Isolde checked her weapons, making sure they were all in place. Once sure she turned to Lucien.

"I'm going now. I know roughly where Reyes and Danika should be at this moment. I'll call if I need anything." she told him.

Lucien nodded. He would have argued with her about going a few months ago. Hell, he wouldn't have let her out of the fortress. But he knew he couldn't stop her now. She would go if she wanted to and she wanted to.

"Oh and one more thing." Isolde said, her shadows starting to swallow her. "Kane will be helping me move my room closer to his when I get back. I'll explain later."

With that the shadows over took a wickedly grinning Isolde who gave them all a wave. All eyes instantly turned on Kane, who held up his hands. With Isolde gone, a light bulb over his head exploded and a crack formed in the plaster above him.

"It's not what you think. Disaster doesn't destroy things when she's near me. She offered to move her room closer to mine to help calm the demon. That's all." he told them.

"That better be all, hot shot." Anya warned him.

Kane nodded to show he understood. He was going to give Isolde the spanking of her life when she got home. He swore to the gods he would.


	23. Stubbornness

Author Notes: And I return. This is the last chapter I have ready at the moment, but I'll have more ready for you soon enough! So please enjoy and review! I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or it's characters.

Chapter 23 Stubbornness

It took Isolde a little while to find the exact motel Reyes and Danika were staying at-actually it took her a few days-and finally Torin sent Isolde an address for the motel. When she had called him and asked why he had waited so long, he had laughed at her and simply replied, "I though you knew everything.", to which she replied by hanging up on him.

She could still hear his laughter in her ear.

She had grabbed a backpack from her room before heading out and now stood in front of the motel, a cup of hot, black coffee in her hands. She was waiting for Reyes to make his appearance from his room. When he finally came out, he didn't see her. She was going to have fun scaring him. Isolde kept quiet, sneaking up behind Reyes. She could have just tapped him on the shoulder, but he probably wouldn't have reacted quite as violently if she had.

No, she whacked him upside the head.

Isolde dropped into a crouch as Reyes swung around with an angry roar, a blade flashing in his hand. Had she not dodged, he would have cut her right across the face. When he didn't see anyone and looked down to find Isolde crouched there, sipping her coffee, he deflated and cursed. Isolde grinned widely, unable to hide her amusement.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" he snapped.

"Just checking your reflexes, that's all. Just so you know...I could have sliced your Achilles tendon and taken you down." Isolde replied, standing up straight.

Reyes gave her a look that said she was waning on his nerves. She had warned him that she was going to stick to him like glue, but like everyone else, he hadn't taken her serious. That was his bad, not hers. Maybe, one day, they would learn from their mistakes.

"So Danika's still asleep after you finally caved in and slept with her last night, huh?" Isolde asked.

She could have sworn Reyes' cheeks turned red. With his tan, it was a little hard to tell. But she knew she made him uncomfortable because Pain laughed at him.

"Could you not say things like that?" he asked.

"I could, but that would take all the fun out of it."

Reyes slapped a hand to his face making Isolde smile in satisfaction. Nothing amused her more than embarrassing one of the warriors. It was really a simple thing to do when one knew which button to push.

"Go home, Isolde." he told her.

"Not a chance. I told you I was going to stick to you and I am not going back on that now."

"Isolde-"

"Give it up. I'm more stubborn than you."

Reyes heaved a sigh, pressing on his temples like he had a pounding headache. Isolde knew for a fact that he did and it was named Isolde. She gave him a smile.

"Fine. But you will wait out here until Danika is dressed." he told her.

"Well, duh. Sorry but I don't get my kicks out of looking at naked women."

Reyes gave her a sharp look. He really wondered if Isolde purposely woke up every morning and decided to say the most idiotic things she could think of. But he didn't say that out loud. It would only encourage her to do it even more. Instead he left her outside to finish her coffee while he went in search of food and a new shirt. When he finally had a new shirt and returned to his room, Danika was awake.

"Good. You're awake. Breakfast in on the table. I am sorry the selection is poor, but I shopped here, at the motel, so that I could watch our door and ensure your safety." he told her.

Danika looked over at the table, taking in the coffee, candy bars, and bag of chips. She told him it was perfect, before her eyes landed on the bag in his hand.

"What's in the bag?" she asked.

"A shirt."

Danika recognized his attitude for what it was. She was blond, but she wasn't stupid. When she ordered him to take off his shirt, he simply told her to eat, shower and dress, making sure to add in that they were going to see her family today. Probably hoping to draw her attention away from the subject at hand. Danika wasn't having it. When he turned to retreat into the bathroom, she darted in front of him, blocking his way.

"Take off your shirt." she demanded.

Reyes looked her up and down, and her body responded to him instantly.

"You have the most delectable little body I've ever seen." he told her.

"Th-thank you. Now the shirt. You won't be able to distract me."

That didn't stop him from trying though.

"I know why you are so cold all the time." he told her.

"I said you can't distract me. Besides, I'm not cold all the time. I can recall two instances when I was nearly burned alive."

"No, not all the time." he agreed.

"Why, then? Because the air is cold?"

"You are a portal to both the heavens and the underworld. At times, your spirit connects with the hereafter, pulling images into your mind."

"If that were true, I would have been cold my entire life. But I didn't experience the bone-numbing sensation until after I met you." she replied.

"I must be a...conduit for you, then. Every time I'm with you, I fly to the heavens."

"That just means I'm a better lover than I ever realized."

"With training, you could probably learn to control your visions. Decide where to visit, heaven or hell. Decide how long to stay, who to watch."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore. I want you to take off your goddamn shirt!" she snapped.

When he didn't obey her, she decided to try a different tactic. One that would make Isolde proud, the little weasel she was.

"Listen up. You come when you're with me, but from what I can tell you only hurt yourself a little. Nothing close to what the other women had to do to you. That has to mean your demon is tamer when you're with me. True?" she asked.

Reyes hesitated for a moment, but nodded.

"If I am the Eye and I am a portal, it stands to reason I would send your demon somewhere when you're inside me. I wonder where the demon goes. Who knows, maybe it travels to hell to visit its buddies. Want to test the theory?" she added.

Reyes staggered back, trying to come up with something to say and failing to do so. Danika stepped towards him.

"This is good news. Right? You can be with me without fear of destroying me." she added.

"I do not dare hope. You know what happens when people hope." he replied.

To stop anymore arguments on the subject, he gave her what she had wanted to begin with.

"You wanted to see my wounds. Look."

Reyes jerked his shirt over his head, exposing the wounds on his chest. Danika's eyes moved over the injuries. A look of betrayal fell over her face and she shoved him back, telling him they were done before slamming the door in his face. He hadn't even gotten the chance to tell her that Isolde was waiting for them. She would find out soon enough.

When the two were finally ready to go and stepped outside, Isolde was standing just outside the door, her eyes hidden behind sunglasses as she munched on a Kit-Kat bar. In her black leather, biker's jacket, black jeans shoved into knee-high biker boots, a crystal blue crop top, and the sapphire blue feathers in her hair, she stood out. Add in the obvious weapons peeking out here and there on her person and she could scare the pants off normal men.

Danika jumped in surprise when she saw Isolde standing there, part of a Kit-Kat hanging out of her mouth as she chewed on it, her arms crossed.

"Isolde? What are you doing here?" Danika asked.

"I told you I was sticking to Reyes like glue. As soon as the fight back at the fortress was over, I made my way here and started looking for you. I knew the general area you'd be in, not the exact location. Torin didn't see it fit to tell me your location until early this morning, the jackass. Then he had to balls to laugh at me." Isolde replied, wadding up her wrapped and tossing it into a trash can. "And would it kill the people around here to stock their vending machines with Starburst?"

Reyes took that to mean that Isolde was annoyed with Torin. He ushered the two females along, stopping at a gas station near by long enough to buy Danika something a little more hearty to eat, snagging two packages of the tropical starburst that Isolde liked as well. Isolde pounced on those the moment he had them out of the bag, a child-like smile lighting her face.

The three took off, trying to stay out of sight of others as much as possible. For Isolde it was easier, her ability to blend the shadows making her wink completely out of sight at times. She stayed ahead of them, keeping her shielded eyes peeled for enemies, though her stance was relaxed. Reyes didn't think he had to worry about enemies if she was that relaxed. She finally came to a stop outside a building with boarded up windows, spray paint all over the brick, and that was in serious danger of falling apart. Reyes, as he figured, hadn't had to tell Isolde where to go.

"I'll go in first." Reyes told the two.

"Excuse you?" Isolde retorted instantly, Danika adding in a, "No. They'll freak when they see you."

Reyes ignored Isolde and turned to Danika, cupping her cheeks. He had been about to say something but his mind wondered off on him and his grip on her tightened.

"Reyes, you're hurting me." Danika told him, breaking him out of his thoughts.

He let go of her, shoving a hand into his hair.

"I am sorry, so very sorry." he told her.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm fine." Danika assured him.

"Can we hurry along a bit? I feel exposed standing here." Isolde said then.

Reyes nodded, looking at the other girl, who was watching the building. He gestured to the door.

"Are you ready to go inside?" he asked Danika, spotting the play of indecision on her face. "What is the matter?"

"Why didn't they want me here?" she asked.

"They-"

"Reyes, movement." Isolde said, cutting him off.

Reyes looked up in time to catch sight of the movement in the window just above them. A form moved between two boards that didn't quite meet in the middle.

"That form is too big for a woman." Isolde said lowly.

Reyes needed to hide Danika, knew Isolde could take care of herself, but it was too late. The door burst open showing three men with weapons trained on Danika and Isolde. They knew turning the guns on Reyes was no good, but they obviously didn't know that was true of Isolde too. It didn't stop fury from raging through Reyes when those guns turned on Danika.

"Hands at your sides, demon and step inside. Try anything, and I'll hurt the girls." one man told them.

"He's kidding right?" Isolde muttered lowly where only Danika and Reyes could hear her.

Already, her hand was hovering over her left thigh. Reyes was sure she had a knife or gun concealed there and was ready to draw it. With the sunglasses slipping forward on her nose, he could see the blue leeching from her eyes as her pupils narrowed to pinpoints. Reyes and Pain were ready for battle too.

"Danika, close your eyes." Reyes told Danika.

He didn't stop to look and see if she obeyed. He jumped forward, leaving Isolde to shield and protect Danika. Danika covered her ears, but not her eyes. How Isolde could watch the carnage with such a calm expression was beyond Danika. The girl stood there, standing firm between Danika and the men. Two of the Hunters went after Reyes, firing on him, though it might as well have been flies for all the attention Reyes paid it.

The third Hunter went straight for Isolde.

It was a mistake on his part and Danika knew it the moment Isolde stiffened like an animal stalking it's prey. Isolde moved with such lethal grace that Danika had no problem picturing the feral animal she had been described as by the other inhabitants of the fortress.

A bullet ripped through Isolde's right shoulder but she simply ducked under the man's guard and came up slashing. The man dropped, dropping his gun as he did. Isolde kicked the gun towards Danika.

"Pick it up and lets go. Your family needs you." Isolde told her.

Danika nodded, taking the gun in hand. Isolde led the way past Reyes and into the building, Danika on her heels. Danika checked rooms as they went, but Isolde never paused. The first room was empty, the next had Hunters loading guns. They spotted to two women and one of the men called them filthy demon whores. Danika raised her gun at the same time as the man, but Isolde gripped her by the back of her shirt, yanking her aside as Reyes flew past her and into the room.

Danika's legs nearly gave out, but Isolde kept her up, urging her on. Isolde was so calm, moving through the building, a gun in her hand, with such confidence in her movements. Danika supposed that when someone lived with and was trained by warriors like Reyes and the other men, they learned to be warriors themselves. Isolde certainly had. Isolde led the way around a corner, and then up a flight of stairs. At the top they took another corner. Hunters were waiting at the end of the hall, pale and trembling. Isolde didn't leave Reyes to deal with the men.

She shoved Danika back around the corner before charging forward, too stubborn to back down from this fight. Another bullet nailed her in the left thigh, but she ignored it, barreling into the men. She took down two with a bullets and a knife. The third man attacked her from behind. Isolde twisted around, retreating back to avoid the blade in his hand, but he drove the blade home in her side, just over her right hip. Isolde let out a cry of pain.

Reyes was at her side then, an arm snaking around her waist to yank her out of the way before he ripped into the man, killing him. Reyes sat her down and vanished once more. Danika appeared then, freezing when her eyes landed on the blade still buried in her side. Isolde's side felt like it was on fire, but she couldn't leave the blade in. She gripped the handle.

"Go after Reyes." she told Danika.

Danika hesitated, obviously wanting to help Isolde. Stubbornness filled Isolde. Stubbornness at not wanting Danika to see her like that, stubbornness at not blacking out from pain, stubbornness at continuing to fight any Hunters that came at her even if she was hurt. She was too stubborn for her own good and she knew it. Danika balked at the idea of leaving her though, so Isolde gave her a light shove.

"I'll be fine. Go."

Danika nodded and took off, hearing a painful gasp from Isolde. She had obviously just pulled the blade free. A woman's scream reached her then.

"Mom! I'm here!" she yelled.

"Danika? Danika, baby, run. Get out of here!" came her mother's voice.

Isolde was back at her side then, one hand pressed into her bleeding side. Pain caused stress lines to form in the girl's youthful face, but she took Danika's arm with her feet hand, leading her down the hall. A moment later they were standing in a bedroom. Danika's mother and sister were chained to a heating unit, her grandmother to a bed, both legs broken. Reyes was currently working on breaking those chains. The woman kicked at him, trying to get him away, but he continued until they were free. Danika rushed forward, leaving Isolde in the doorway, the girl leaning heavily on the door frame.

Danika fell to her knees, gathering her mother and sister in her arms. She was so glad to see them alive and well.

"Danika, he's-he's-" her sister tried to get out, but couldn't.

"I know, I know. Don't worry. He's not going to hurt you. He's a good guy." Danika assured them.

"I thought you were dead. They told me you were dead." her mother said.

"They lied. Hunters do that." Isolde said tightly from the door.

The women looked at her, gasping when they saw the blood streaming from three separate wounds on the girl's body. Danika drew their attention back to her.

"I'm here now. I'm here. We will not be parted again. I swear it. I'm just sorry it took me so long to get here." Danika told them as she stood.

Danika, her mother, and sister joined her grandmother at the bed. Danika took the old woman's hand in hers.

"What happened to you?" Danika asked.

"The monster with wings. He found me, threw me down and...and..."

"His name is Aeron." Isolde said gently, breaking in to cover the quaking of the proud woman's chin.

The old woman nodded and trudged on.

"He could have killed me after I fell, but he didn't. He picked me up and carried me to this building. I think I used to dream of him. I've tried to block those dreams so long they're only mist in a storm now, but I think maybe he saw me during those dark terrors, because he looked at me as if he knew me. I don't know why, but I told him not to relive his past mistakes. He backed away and then he left me. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Now isn't the time for that. You want to know how I got here. I couldn't move, was stuck in this building. The bastards with guns had been following me, I guess, because they found me later that day. They already had your mother and sister."

"Were any of you-"

"No. No, we're fine. For the most part, they left us alone. They fed us, kept us healthy. Apparently they planned to use us to draw out our former kidnappers." Danika's sister, Ginger, said cutting her off.

"That would have worked on Reyes, but not the others." Isolde said.

Danika turned to the girl as she sank down the wall to sit on the floor. The wound in her side was still bleeding heavily and Isolde felt like the spot was burning. It felt like someone had stuck a poker in a fire and was now pressing the red-hot metal to her skin. The ache was unbearable and it was amazing she was remaining conscious, especially with the amount of blood she was losing.

"Oh my God! That is your blood!" Ginger said, seeing the injury.

She moved to help Isolde. Isolde had been kind to them the last time they had seen her. They didn't hold a grudge against her as they did the men. Isolde though shook her head when Ginger took a step towards her.

"Don't worry about it. I'm a little harder than this to kill. My father will come to take me home for healing soon enough. Enjoy having your family whole again and ignore me." Isolde told her with a bright smile.

Danika was starting to learn not to question Isolde. Something she was sure Reyes and the other men were still struggling with. She laid a hand on Ginger's arm when she looked like she was about to argue. Ginger looked at her as she shook her head.

"Isolde knows better than anyone what will happen. If she says she'll be alright, she'll be alright." Danika told her.

Ginger nodded, though she threw the girl a concerned look.

"You have to kill him, Dani." her mother said, meaning Reyes more than likely.

"No, no. You don't understand." Danika told her.

"There's nothing to understand." her mother insisted.

"Actually there is. Everything my father and brothers did to you was with a very good reason. Danika could explain if you'd give her a chance. I promise, we're not seeking to lock you back up." Isolde promised. "I kept my word last time and I'll keep it again. We're only here to protect you and Danika."

The women looked at her. After keeping her word the last time, they really couldn't call her a liar now. And Danika supported her.

"My father will be here shortly, to take you away from here and danger. Please do not be afraid. We only want to help you, not harm you." Isolde told them.

As if on cue, Lucien appeared in the room. His mis-matched eyes landing on Isolde sitting on the floor and widened.

"Hi, Daddy." she greeted.

Lucien flew to her side, dropping to his knees beside her and peeling her hand away from her side. He gave her a questioning look to which she smiled.

"A stab from behind. I tried to avoid the weapon but I wasn't fast enough." she told him.

"I am taking you back first." he told her.

Isolde opened her mouth to argue with him but he simply latched on to her wrist and before she knew it, they were standing in her room.

Or a seriously rearranged version of it.

Someone had gone in her room and seriously rearranged it. Isolde looked around as Lucien held her up.

"What happened to my room?" she asked.

"What do you mean. It looks exactly as it did before." he replied.

"No, no it doesn't. The blanket on my bed is upside down, the speakers aren't turned towards the bed, the computer is too far to the left, my laundry basket is on the right side of the closet instead of the left, my brush was on the left hand side of the vanity, not right, and my jewelry box is turned. Someone messed with my room." Isolde said.

Lucien looked down at the girl, surprised she had caught all those small details just looking around the room. The girl seriously had to be OCD.

"You said you wanted to move your room next to Kane's. He explained why and we helped him to move it for you. Anya took a picture of the room so we could replace everything perfectly. Obviously we did not do that." he remarked.

"It's fine. I'll fix it later. Thank you." Isolde told him.

Lucien sat her on the chest sitting at the foot of her bed.

"Stay here. I'll send Anya to come help you bandage that." he told her.

Isolde didn't argue with him. Not two minutes later Anya came flying into the room, Ashlyn on her heels. When the two saw her, Anya cursed darkly and Ashlyn gasped.

"It's not as bad as it looks." Isolde tried to assure them.

"Then why are you slurring?" Anya asked darkly.

Isolde didn't have a reply to that. Her side was burning more by the second. Anya and Ashlyn helped her out of her blood stained clothes and to clean up and bandage the wounds. By the time the bandages were in place and Isolde was dressed in her sleeping shirt, she couldn't even stay on her feet. She knew something was wrong. A simple stab wound, even one as deep as the one in her side, shouldn't have effected her that way. She had been stabbed like that in a fight with Hunters before and it hadn't made her that weak.

Anya poured her into bed, Isolde not even able to keep her feet. No sooner had Ashlyn pulled the blanket up, Isolde was lost to the world.

-0-0-0-0-

"What are we going to do with the girl?"

All eyes in the entertainment room turned to Sabin, whose voice was still raspy and who was still healing from his last fight with Hunters.

"Study her paintings. That's all we can do." Lucien said, pool cue in hand.

"That, and treat her well." Ashlyn added.

"Now that they know what she is, Hunters will come after us more fervently now." Sabin pointed out.

"I'd think that would delight you." Paris remarked, eyes on the TV screen where one of his porns was playing.

Sabin didn't bother pointing out that it would have delighted him if he still wasn't healing from the last time. He was still too weak to fight at that point.

"We need to lock her up, put her somewhere they won't think to look." Sabin said.

"No way." Ashlyn said with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, good luck getting past Reyes. Man is wicked good with knives." William said.

"Who invited you into this conversation?" Sabin asked.

"Anya. She said I could stay as long as I wanted. Now, will you let us finish our game or what?"

Sabin was liking the man more and more. Not that he would admit it out loud. He was grateful Isolde wasn't in the room. She would have said it out loud just to spite him. More and more, she seemed to take every chance to do just that.

"Anya, put a leash on your friend." Sabin said.

"Why? I'm winning." she replied.

"I'd rather we kill the girl than allow her to fall into our enemies' hands. She's too powerful, could perpetrate too much damage to our cause." Sabin remarked.

No one was listening to him anymore. The shattering of glass and a curse from Kane had Sabin turning to the man who had picked up a wine bottle only to have it shatter on him. Sabin rolled his eyes as he walked over to the man, picking up another bottle and pouring a glass for him.

"Here. Where the hell is Isolde? If she can keep your demon in check than I'd rather she be plastered to your side twenty-four/seven." Sabin remarked, handing the glass to Kane.

"She's currently dead to the world." Lucien said.

All eyes turned to him. Stress lines had appeared in Lucien's faces, his grip turning white-knuckled on his cue. Kane almost dropped his glass and Sabin's jaw tightened. He had been told, upon waking, that Isolde had basically saved his hide when he was faced with Stefano, only to turn around and go after Reyes and Danika after declaring she was moving her room closer to Kane's. Kane had explained to him the effect she had on his demon. Sabin owed Isolde, for more than one thing. He didn't like how she acted around him compared to the others, but he liked her being injured even less.

"She sustained a stab wound to her side while with Reyes and Danika." Lucien explained.

"The blade had to have been poisoned or something, because she's never reacted to a stab wound like this before. She was burning up with a fever and so weak. It took me and Ashlyn to dress her and get her into bed after bandaging the wounds." Anya remarked, her voice betraying her worry.

"She will be fine. She always is." Lucien assured Anya, placing a hand on the back of her neck.

"But even Isolde has her limits. She acts tough and so in control, but has anyone considered that she might be breakable?" Torin asked.

Silence fell over the room. It was a thought none of them had really had or wanted to have. Isolde stood strong, fought tooth and nail, kept her chin high. She had been injured, bed bound, a few times, but she had always been back up and fighting before long.

None of them had stopped to think that maybe, just maybe, she might not get back up again.

-0-0-0-0-

 _She looks so pale_.

Sabin stood in the lamp light, looking down at the bed. Isolde was curled up on her side, arms wrapped around her middle. Her skin had gone pale and was burning hot to the touch. Now and then, she shook and trembled as if chills shook her small frame. All three of her wounds were still bleeding, staining the bandages red. She had kicked the blanket off herself and now Sabin yanked it back up. He and Isolde didn't really get along and it was all because of his dislike for her knowledge, he knew. Isolde probably would have welcomed him with open arms as she did the others if he wasn't constantly pushing her back like he was.

He just found it too hard to trust someone who knew as much as Isolde and didn't share the knowledge with him.

He didn't know if he could trust Isolde. She had never given him reason not to, that was true, and he could see how much it probably hurt that he didn't trust her but was perfectly at home with Anya and Ashlyn. He supposed it was only reasonable that she gave him a hard time like she did. It was better than her ignoring his existence he suppose.

What was he suppose to do with Isolde?

Just then Isolde's eyes flew open. Sabin took a step back from the bed in surprise. She bolted up in bed, not even noticing her injuries. Her eyes, he noticed, had changed color again, but they weren't red this time. This time the vermilion red had drained away, making her eyes a shocking, vibrant blue. She stared straight ahead of her, her eyes glazed before she threw aside the blanket and surged out of the bed. She stumbled, swaying on her feet.

Sabin reached out to grab her arm, to force her back into bed, but she snapped straight. He was pretty sure she didn't even realize he was in the room, her eyes staring unseeing ahead of her. Then her head whipped to the side. She said only one word before shadows swallowed her.

"Aeron."

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde's mind came back awake in a dizzying blink. One moment she had been drifting in the dark world of dreams, not conscious of anything around her, and the next she had simply jolted awake, bolting up in the bed. It was hard to think past the fever haze that settled over her mind, but she could concentrate enough to realize what had woke her.

Wrath was roaring on the edges of her mind, demanding blood. But instead of awakening the need for wrath in her, she felt the need for peace and calm over take her, the need to sooth and calm Wrath, not help it fulfill it's needs. She couldn't recognize anything around her, only knew she had to get to Aeron.

Shadows overcame her, moving her from her room to Reyes', before spitting her back out once more. She staggered on her feet but remained on them, shaking her head to clear it. The scene before her came into sharp focus. Reyes and Aeron stood before her, Danika crumpling to the floor, a knife buried in her chest. Reyes rushed to Danika, but Aeron caught his arm, knocking him to the ground, jumping on him, and letting the punches fly. The others were gathering in the room.

It was time to end this.

Reyes, in his fury, flipped the two, hands wrapping around Aeron's neck. Legion tried to stop him, bit and clawed him, but Reyes refused to release Aeron. Isolde didn't know what she was thinking, but moved then, coming out of the shadows and storming across the room. Reyes saw her coming out of the side of his eyes but didn't bother to look up at Isolde. He knew she would not be able to pry him off in the weakened state she was in.

Then flames irrupted out of the side of his eyes before one of her hands grabbed him by the head, pressing on his forehead to make him look up at Isolde. What he saw made him freeze. Pain went into panic mode, running circles in Reyes' head and yelling at him to get away from her and quick.

Isolde's eyes were a brilliant, electric blue, the twin pools glowing in the dark of the room. Her other hand, which she held back, ready to strike, was crackling with white flames. Her eyes were dazed, like she wasn't really there, her expression so calm and collective that it sent a thrill of fear down his spine. Pain even screamed something about a "heavenly fire".

"Let him go. Now, Reyes." Isolde said, her voice low, deadly, threatening while still calm.

The others froze, their demons reacting the same way to the sight of the flames as Pain had, cowering away from the girl. Isolde didn't seem to notice them. Her glowing eyes were fixed on Reyes and Reyes alone. Even Legion cowered on Aeron's chest and the girl's attention wasn't even on the little demon. Isolde grip on Reyes' head tightened.

"Release him, now. He will not die here and now, and you will not become his killer. Now, do it!" Isolde barked, pulling her hand farther back, ready to land a blow.

Reyes had a feeling that if he was struck with those flames that would be the end of him once and for all. But he wasn't ready to release Aeron. Danika had to be safe first. He wouldn't not release Aeron until Danika was safe.

"Danika needs you."

Those words, spoken distantly from Isolde's mouth, reached Reyes like none other. He released Aeron, jumping away from the man to rush to Danika's side. Isolde stood up straight, stepping back from Aeron and Legion. The flames died, but her eyes never dimmed. She turned to watch as Reyes demanded Danika's family be let in. Aeron flew to his feet, going after the women. The others tried to stop him but Aeron knocked them aside, Legion biting them and poisoning them. Isolde moved then. She had to give Paris more time to make his choice.

She hit Aeron hard, knocking the warrior over only because she took out his knee. He hit his back hard and she was sitting on his chest the next second. She pushed his head down with one hand planted on his forehead. Aeron struck at her, hitting the bandaged area over her right hip. Pain raced up through Isolde's already burning body. But instead of falling from the blow, anger lashed through her. Too many times she had fallen because someone had taken a cheap shot to an injury. Now, when it was so important, she would not back down.

Legion flew at her then, seeking to bite her, poison her as she had the others. Isolde caught the little demon by clamping a hand over her mouth. Legion jerked in surprise, trying to pull away from Isolde, but the girl refused to release the demon. Isolde just stared at Legion. She was so calm in her head. Everything was so...distant to Isolde at the moment. Like she was watching it from a distance. The pain had fried her brain, she was sure.

Then another, new lance of pain from her chest made her turn her head as Aeron growled.

The warrior had stabbed her, burying a knife mere inches from her heart. Still she felt so dazed and distant. She wasn't sure what was going on, but the cry of shock from Danika's family behind her, reached her through the haze. Isolde shoved Legion away from her, the hand she had held the demon with pulled the blade free and threw it away from them. The hilt swung as the blade embedded itself in the wall. Aeron caught her around the throat, but Isolde didn't panic. She fixed startling blue eyes on Aeron, her eyelid dropping in a soft look that caused the warrior to freeze.

"Would you hurt me more, Aeron?" she asked.

Aeron's fingers twitched around her throat, loosening. Blood was already pouring down her chest and she could see black webs working their way inward from the edges of her vision. Then it was as if everything had frozen, stopped completely. Isolde was unable to draw a breath from the pressure on her injured chest. Then Aeron passed out, his hand dropping away from her throat.

Isolde pressed a hand to her chest as she got to her feet, pain making her body shake. Legion curled into Aeron, petting his brow. Isolde took one step away from Aeron, then two, before her knees buckled. Strider caught her, scooping her up off her feet.

They all watched as the blue of her eyes dimmed and red over took the centers of her irises once more. Already her eyes were starting to close. She had enough sense about her to hear when Lucien returned with a human doctor.

"Lucien, man, she doesn't look good." Strider said.

Isolde felt herself being traded from one person to the others. Her eyes slid fully close, darkness taking her once more. She knew Danika would vanish, Reyes would mourn, Aeron would awake without his blood lust, and Paris would fall even farther into his dark place now that Sienna was forever out of his reach.

She would need to recover quickly because nothing would wait for her.

-0-0-0-0-

"Reyes still sitting in that chair?"

Lucien looked up when Sabin spoke.

"Yes."

"And Isolde?" Strider asked from across the drawing room where they had gathered.

Aeron, who had awoken a few days before, his blood lust gone, looked up from his drink. He remembered stabbing Isolde in the chest when she had tried to keep him from killing the Ford women. She had been asleep since thing, burning up with a fever that had only just broken the night before, her wounds finally closing and healing after that.

"She was asleep when I checked on her a few hours ago." Lucien replied.

Strider looked up, rubbing a hand down his face and stopped, his eyes fixing on the door way.

"Man, she's not there anymore." he said, pointing.

Everyone twisted around, catching sight of Isolde as she walked past the door. Lucien was out of his seat instantly, the others following him out of the room. Isolde was walking down the hall, heading for the entertainment room. She had obviously showered, changing into a pair of low slung jeans and a deep purple crop top.

"Isolde."

Isolde paused when Lucien called her. She turned to look at him, a questioning look on her face. It was then that they saw it. Over her right hip, where the stab wound she had received from a Hunter had just healed, was a new butterfly tattoo. It spread it's glittery wings over her hip in a red-purple ink. It was raised, the skin around it red, showing that it was new.

"A new one?" Lucien asked, surprised.

Isolde's hand flew to the mark. Fingers, their nails painted white with a splash of blue glitter, traced over one wing before her hand dropped.

"Yeah. Did you need something?" she asked.

"What are you doing out of bed? You were stabbed in the chest, baby girl." Lucien remarked.

"It's healed. Want to see?" she asked, one eyebrow rocking up as she gripped the hem of her shirt.

Strider and Gideon wolf whistled from behind Lucien, who shot them a glare before turning back to Isolde with a stern look.

"No." he told her.

"Alright then. If you'll excuse me, I have some sense to knock into someone." she replied, turning to leave.

Aeron stepped past the others then. He had felt guilty for hurting her, setting back her healing even farther by hurting her when she was already injured.

"Isolde." he called.

Isolde stopped and turned to look at him. She didn't look angry, or hurt. Just curious.

"I'm so sorry," he started but Isolde was already shaking her head, a smile on her lips.

"Aeron, if I thought for a second that that had really been you, that you had actually, really meant me harm...I would have cut your nuts off then and there." she told him brightly.

The image made all of the men cringe. No man wanted to lose his nuts, especially not like that. They weren't naive enough to think she would have made it quick.

"But I know that wasn't you. Don't guilt yourself so much. Danika's still alive where she is, have no doubt, so is her family. I'm still here too. None of that was your fault. And thanks to you, I discovered a new power. Though for the life of me I can't figure out how to do it again." Isolde said, looking down at her hands at the last part.

None of them were in a hurry for her to figure it out either. She had scared the living day lights out of their demons with that fire. They weren't ready to relive it. As far as they were concerned, she could never figure it out.

"But don't worry about it. Just forget it happened. I already am." Isolde assured Aeron, giving him a bright smile of forgiveness before turning on her heel.

The others left her to do as she had set out to do. They knew who she was going to knock some sense into. Reyes barely spared her a glance when she entered the entertainment room. All three women looked up at her, gasping in shock at seeing her up and moving when just five days ago she had two bullet wounds and two stabs wounds in her body. Isolde ignored the three, storming forward to snatch the remote to the TV from Reyes.

"Isolde-" he started to growl, sitting forward as she hit the fast forward button.

"Just shut the hell up and sit back, you dimwit." she bit back.

In shock, Reyes did as told. Isolde watched the screen as the movie sped through Danika's childhood. When she reached the part she had read about, she hit pause, stopping on a painting Danika had just finished. Turning she threw the remote back at Reyes.

"There's your next clue. Now get your stupid ass in gear and bring Danika home." Isolde snapped at him sternly.

Reyes stared at the screen, his eyes darting from the screen to Isolde. He flew to his feet to look at the painting frozen on the screen.

"That's-"

"If you can tell what it is, get in gear. After getting stabbed in the chest, I have little to no patience." Isolde told him, cutting him off.

Reyes looked at her. She appeared pissed off, but he could tell she wasn't. There was no anger in her voice or in her eyes. Just impatience. He gave her a nod.

She had supplied him with the next clue. Now he had to act on it.


	24. Truth or Dare

Author Notes: Hello guys and girls! I had a burst of muse and this chapter and it's completely random and silly ending, came to mind. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please enjoy and review. I do not own the Lords of the Underworld series or it's characters.

Chapter 24 Truth or Dare

"Cronus! Cronus, show yourself! Cronus!"

Isolde stood off to the side, watching Reyes as he shouted into the night sky for the god king to make himself known. Wind whipped at her, trying to yank her hair free of the pony tail she had pulled it into before coming up to the roof top with Reyes. She watched the roof and knew the moment Cronus appeared on the opposite side from Reyes.

"I am here, Pain." Cronus said, making Reyes whip around to face him.

"Where is she?" Reyes asked.

"Safe." was the only answer he got.

"Show her to me. Please. I beg you."

For a moment Cronus did nothing, his eyes going from Reyes to Isolde, who stood silently to the side, watching with a blank expression on her face. Finally he nodded, waving a hand through the air. A small window like screen shimmered into view, showing Danika draped in white, laying on a a dais, her eyes closed as if in sleep.

"Is she...is she hurting?" Reyes asked.

"Not even a little. I opted to keep her and so I healed her." Cronus answered.

"Thank you."

"I did not do it for you."

"I want her back." Reyes said, reaching for the vision of Danika.

Before he could touch it, Cronus waved his hand again. Isolde could hear the howl of Pain in her head. Pain wanted Danika just as much as Reyes did. Isolde found herself mentally calling Cronus names that would have made a nun faint.

"Please. I want her." Reyes said.

"And she wants you. But now that I have her I plan to use her. My decision to have her killed was...hasty." Cronus said, approaching Reyes.

"Why do you need her?" Reyes asked.

"My reasons are my own." Cronus said.

"He's paranoid that his enemies will raise again and what better way to stay on guard then a woman who can see into the heavens and hell." Isolde said.

Cronus shot her a glare, but Isolde was unaffected. She just stood there as if he was no more a danger to her than a fly. He turned back to Reyes.

"All you need know is that you would distract her." Cronus told him.

"I won't. I swear it." Reyes replied.

"You will not be able to help yourself."

"I love her."

"Yes, I know, but that knowledge does not sway me." Cronus said.

"Heartless bastard." came Isolde's retort.

Cronus turned a dark glare on her, but still she didn't back down. Damn him if he didn't like that she was unfazed in the face of his strenght and power.

He turned back to Reyes. They were now nose to nose. Isolde would have punched him if he had been that close to her.

"The demon hordes want her, your mortal enemies want her. Even your friends seek to use her for their own gain. You cannot protect her on every front." Cronus told him.

"I can. I would die for her. I love her. I will let no harm befall her." Reyes promised.

"As you proved when you let Wrath stab her?"

"That happened because I let it happen."

Cronus turned on Isolde when she spoke.

"I could have stopped it if I wished, but it was something that had to happen." Isolde told him.

Before Cronus could say, or possibly do, anything to Isolde, Reyes spoke again.

"Knowing she experienced pain nearly destroys me every time I think of it. I will not allow such a thing to happen again. I saw something today that Isolde took pains to show me, one of Danika's earliest paintings. You...you were in it."

That caught Cronus' full attention, had him tilting his head.

"I am listening." he told Reyes.

"In the painting one of your enemies had taken your head." Reyes replied.

Rage over took the god king. Isolde could feel it from where she stood.

"How dare you utter such blasphemy! No one is strong enough to do such a thing. I should strike you down for the mere suggestion." Cronus said.

"It is true. I would hardly lie when so much is at stake. Isolde has even seen it before today." Reyes said.

Cronus' eyes darted to Isolde who gave him a grin. She knew the future, knew the past. She knew if there was such a painting and from the amusement on her face...there was.

"Where is this painting? You will show it to me. Now." Cronus demanded, the fortress shaking in his anger.

"I will trade it for Danika." Reyes said.

"The painting. Now!"

"First agree to my trade."

Cronus took a deep breath, holding it before releasing it.

"She is my property, and unlike you, I do not barter what's mine." Cronus said.

"Hell if she is, prick." Isolde said, making him look at her again. "Danika is a living being, not an object. You do not own her anymore then you own the heavens, which, should I remind you, belong to the Most High."

Cronus wanted to strike Isolde then, but Reyes kept pulling his attention back to him.

"Then you may kiss your head goodbye. I doubt your Eye is ever wrong and I know for certain that Isolde never is." Reyes said.

Cronus stared at Reyes, his eyes darting from the warrior to Isolde. The girl had tilted her head to the side and was watching in amusment. Finally he turned back to Reyes.

"When you can prove you're strong enough to protect her, summon me again. We will talk."

Then Cronus was gone. Reyes turned to Isolde but she knew what question he was going to ask before he asked it.

"Talk to Anya." she told him.

With that, Reyes took off, heading for Anya's and Lucien's room. Isolde dissolved into shadows. She stepped out in Anya's room and dropped to sit on the bed. Both William, who had been begging for his book, and Anya, who had been flipping through her clothes, looked up in surprise.

"Incoming Reyes is five, four, three, two..."

The door flew open to show Reyes.

"You used to be a goddess. Tell me how to prove to Cronus I can protect Danika." Reyes said.

Anya looked at him. She shot Isolde a look, but the girl just smiled at her. Anya couldn't bare to be angry with Isolde.

"First thing first, Turd Ferguson. I am a goddess." Anya told Reyes before turning to William.

"Begging is not a good look for you." she told him.

"You promised me the book." William said.

"Yeah, but I didn't say exactly when."

"I'm staying here until I get it."

"That just reason for me to keep it. You're fun to have around."

Isolde pat William's shoulder as he dropped his face into his hand. She knew how it felt to have a losing argument with Anya.

"I do not mean to interrupt, but-"

"Second thing second, I wasn't done. William, what do you think of this dress?" Anya said, cutting off Reyes and holding up a strand of beads that was a sorry excuse for a dress.

Isolde's wardrobe could get revealing and even a little slutty, but she would never wear that dress. Not even if her life depended on it.

"I love it." William replied.

"Anya, please." Reyes pleaded.

"Fine. I just hope you're ready for my irritation. Look here, sugar plum. I helped break the death-curse that bound you to Maddox yet you bad-mouthed me to Lucien a few weeks later. That was very naughty of you." Anya said as she walked towards Reyes.

Reyes opened his mouth to say something but Anya raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to interrupt her. Reyes' mouth snapped close.

"You're in trouble." William sang from the be, Isolde shaking her head.

"Then, you made Lucien wait days before telling him about Aeron. Plus, I already tried to help you with Danika. You didn't say thank-you. Next, I don't know the Titans all that well. They were already imprisoned by the time I was born. And last but definitely not least, you really smell. Ever heard of a shower, Painie?" Anya added.

"I am sorry for every way I've ever wronged you, Anya. You have only to tell me what to do to atone for my sins, and I'll do it. But please, help me first. Cronus demands I prove I can protect Danika before he'll give her back to me." Reyes said.

"You are a sucker for love, Mama." Isolde said, buttering Anya up. "Besides, look at him. He's wasting away."

Anya glanced at Isolde and then looked back at Reyes. Isolde was right. He had lost weight, he hadn't showered or even changed his clothes in days, was pale, his hair standing on end, and was altogether a mess. But he wasn't covered in cuts.

"Hey, why aren't you hurting yourself?" Anya asked.

"He hurts enough with Danika missing. He doesn't need to hurt himself." Isolde explained for him, Reyes nodding in agreement.

"But what if, when she returns, your pain leaves and you have to cut yourself again? Would you still want her?" Anya asked.

"I will happily cut myself to ribbons if only I can have her."

"Interesting. Obviously you've spoken with King Craphead. What exactly did he say to you?" Anya asked.

Reyes replayed the conversation, Isolde adding in a comment now and again. William even leaned forward to listen intently.

"And how did he take the news of Danika's painting?" Anya asked.

"How would you take it if someone just told you, you were, literally, going to lose your head?" Isolde asked.

Anya shrugged, conceding to Isolde's point.

"With fury. Fear, I think. What if he never gives her back to me?" Reyes asked, his knees giving. "Damn. I don't think I've ever been this weak."

"Well, you're not going to prove anything but weakness in this sorry condition. He said demon hordes are after her. Maybe you should, like, battle them. Kill them." Anya suggested.

"To war with them would require centuries." William said.

"Yeah, but he's got nothing but time. Jeez. Rain on my parade of smartness, why don't you? If you don't want to go that route-"

"I don't." Reyes said, cutting Anya off.

"Fine. Whatever. Let's see, let's see. There has to be something else. Think, Anya, think. You too, Willy. Put that fat head of yours to work." Anya said.

Isolde watched in amusement as the three of them tried to come up with ideas, taking a long time and discarding ideas like slapping Cronus around. Of course that idea led Anya to her newest idea.

"That's it! Defeat Cronus, and you'll end this little game right now, as well as rid the world once and for all of his nastiness." Anya said.

"You're kidding. Defeat Cronus?" Reyes replied.

"You're right. Probably not possible. Sadly, he's the most powerful being living and you're, well, not." Anya said.

"That's not true. There are beings more powerful than him and he can be defeated, but now is not the time for that defeat. There is another idea. Just keep thinking." Isolde encouraged.

"What I am is a man in love." Reyes said, his eyes shining with a crazy gleam that only grew stronger after Isolde's words.

"Uh, Reyes, baby, let's put our heads together and come up with something else. Something-"

Reyes cut Anya off by pushing himself to his feet and leaving the room. Anya and William turned to Isolde who grinned.

"And he's arrived at the solution. See ya later, Mama." Isolde said, sinking into shadows.

She reappeared in the kitchen, putting together quick, but massive meal that Reyes scarfed down. And then she was recruited to join him and Danika's family at the storage facility where Danika stored her paintings, sorting through paintings. She spent hours along side Reyes, looking through the paintings.

"I can't believe the nightmares my little sister has had to deal with." Ginger remarked.

"After a while, things like these just fade into background noise in a sea of chaos." Isolde said distantly, holding up a painting to look at it before setting it aside. "At least that's true for me."

Ginger and her mother looked over at the girl, watching her shift another painting out of the way. Danika had told them that Isolde knew the past, present, and future. That the girl saw what Danika did and more, made them feel bad for the girl. But they wouldn't say that to Isolde. The girl didn't take well to pity, Danika had told them that.

"She's stronger than I ever knew. A better painter, too. I mean, I knew she was good, but I had no idea." Ginger added.

"I can't believe I shamed my daughter into hiding these in storage. They should be in a gallery. They're hauntingly lovely, aren't they?" Tinka, Danika's mother, said.

"Yes. They are." Reyes agreed.

"Before we left, your friend Anya told us we had to help keep your strength up." Mallory said, offering Reyes a peanut-butter sandwich, before turning to Isolde. "Do you want one, dear?"

"No, thank you, ma'am. I'm fine." Isolde replied, politely.

Reyes accepted the sandwich from Mallory, turning to watch Isolde as she shifted through paintings. She had gone straight from behing bed bound to helping him. He couldn't help but be amazed at the stubbornness she displayed.

"When Danika is returned to us, she will find joy in her paintings. This I swear to you." Reyes told the Ford women.

"I so wanted to hate you." Ginger said.

"I told you he wasn't a bad guy. But no one ever listens to me." Isolde remarked, carrying a few paintings out of the way.

The women watched her. They had long since stopped trying to get her to take it easy after having been stabbed and shot. Isolde simply didn't listen.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Tinka asked.

"Ask Mallory." Reyes told her, continuing to search.

"Look for anything involving Cronus, King of the Titans, and set it aside for Reyes and Isolde to study. And before you ask, Cronus is tall, with thick silver hair and a bread, and always wears a white toga." Mallory remarked

"And he looks like an anicent pansy." Isolde added idly.

Then catching herself she turned and apologized for saying such a thing in front of Mallory, an elder. The old woman laughed and waved her off, telling her that it was just fine.

Silence fell over the ground as Isolde and Reyes worked together to examine the paintings. None of them were new to Isolde, though she marveled at the beauty of them. Finally, Isolde left him to continue on his own. When he had finally gone through them all and hadn't found the painting, he turned to Isolde.

"It's not here, is it?" he asked.

"No it is not, but you've learned some useful things, haven't you? Think about it." Isolde told him.

Reyes mentally ticked off all he had learned while pouring over the paintings. While he did, Mallory turned to Isolde.

"Can't you just tell him, dear?" Mallory asked.

"I wish I couldn't but I can't. While I could prevent and change some events, since I know of them, the downside is that I could drastically change the end result. And for the worse. No, he has to figure it out for himself. I can give little hints, direct him in the general direction, but there are some details that I just can't share. It's for the greater good, ma'am." Isolde replied.

"Wouldn't knowing all that be torture?" Ginger asked.

"Well, of course. No one wants to know if, when, and how their loved ones die. And knowing all of this makes me a liability to my family as well. If someone was to find a way to capture me and make me spill my secrets it could be hazardous to everyone in my family and everyone related to it. I have to be extra careful with who I trust and always watch my back for trouble and enemies. But it is worth it to help my family in any way." Isolde replied.

Reyes suddenly flew to his feet, shocking the Ford women, though Isolde didn't seem surprised.

"What?" the Ford women asked in unison.

"I know what I have to do." Reyes declared.

Isolde grinned. She knew he would come to the answer soon enough. It was just a matter of time. Reyes called Lucien, had him flash him and the women home. Isolde traveled using her shadows. Isolde returned to her room, promising the women that Reyes would have Danika back soon enough. Reyes would manage to contact Danika and have her drag him to her. He would then use Danika's abilities to confine Cronus enough to make his point and convince Cronus to return Danika.

Sitting at her computer, she heard the crash of Reyes being dragged through the ceiling as Danika drew him to her. She couldn't help laughing and shaking her head as she pictured how shocked Maddox and Ashlyn would be when he crashed through their room. She returned to her writing, fingers clicking away at the keys. As always now, Disaster kept popping into her head, peeking through her eyes to see what she was doing.

"Amused much?" Isolde asked.

Her answer was a cackle. At least he was giving poor Kane a break. Upon waking up after getting stabbed by Aeron, she remember Lucien telling her that they had moved her room for her. There were things out of place all over the room and in the bathroom and closet. It had taken her a little time but she had set it all right. Her room now looked about the same as it had before the room. She and Kane were the only one on the hall, or even in that part of the building, so it was mostly quiet. Aeron had apologized to her, at least ten times, and Legion had apologized for trying to bite her. Isolde forgave the both of them without a second thought.

Isolde looked up when there was a sudden knock on her door. From the happy spew of doubts that sounded in her head, she knew who it was on the other side.

"Come in, Sabin." she called.

The door opened and Sabin stepped into the room, searching it before his eyes landed on her sitting in front of her computer, fingers still clicking away on the keys.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

He didn't sound to pleased to her, but then again he never sounded pleased when he was around her. Go figure. Isolde waved a hand at one of the chairs at the table sat in her room.

"I'm listening." she told him.

Sabin didn't take a seat, but remained standing, watching her as she continued to type. When he didn't say anything right away, Isolde heaved a sigh.

"Something on your mind, Sabin?" she asked.

"Gideon said you warned him that I needed help and that you came instantly to my aid." Sabin remarked.

"That I did. Is there a problem with that?"

She never turned to look at him, her eyes on her screen and her fingers flying over the keyboard. She didn't see the look on his face but she was sure he was flexing his fingers in an attempt to try to force the words out of his mouth. She could hear the strain in his voice when he spoke.

"No. I should...thank...thank you." Sabin said.

"Don't strain yourself there."

Sabin grit his teeth. She made it so hard to be grateful for her help. He was half tempted to stab her like Aeron had, but he knew she wouldn't forgive him like she had Aeron. She would probably stab him back and in a very unpleasant location.

"And I didn't do it to be thanked." she said suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

Isolde heaved a sigh, her fingers ceasing their taping, but didn't turn.

"Whether you like it or not, Sabin, this is my home and the people in this fortress are my family. That includes you. Every girl needs an annoying, jerky older brother, right? I protect what's mine. If that means throwing a few middle aged men out windows and shooting holes into pansy looking, winged assholes, than that's what I'm going to do. I don't do it for thanks. I do it because I have to."

Isolde turned her chair, pegging him with a sharp look, her two-toned eyes flashing back at him. He could see the fiery emotion there in her eyes.

"I don't let go of what's mine, Sabin. Ever. I've learned the hard way to hold on tight with all I have and rip to shreds all those who try to take it from me. I knew you were going to have a little trouble with Stefano, so I stepped in. Ever since I gained the knowledge of Stefano and his past and future, I've wanted to throw the man out the window. And Galen is just pansy enough looking that I just had to shoot him in the mother fucking face. He's just lucky I missed my shot and hit him in the throat."

Sabin was so tempted to smile, so very tempted. He would have paid good money to see Isolde shoot Galen in the face. So maybe he was starting to like her. Just a tiny bit. Isolde leaned back in her seat, watching him.

"I know why you dislike me, Sabin, but I can't help what I know. You may hate that I know more than you, but I'm honestly not going to let one of you die for good. Everything that happens is for a reason, whether you want to accept that or not." Isolde told him.

"And Reyes' women getting stabbed was for a reason?" Sabin asked.

"Yes, it was. It made Reyes realize how much he loved her and how much he was willing to get to get her back. And the same with Danika, herself. Which needed to happen if you wanted her to stay here. It also showed three humans, who hated you, that you aren't the demons the Hunters make you out to be." Isolde replied.

Damn! She had a good point there. He would have to admit she had a point there. Then again anyone could find a reason for something if they dug deep enough. A sigh from Isolde, had him focusing on her again.

"You still doubt me despite all the times I've tried to help you. I guess some people just can't be won over no matter how hard you try." she remarked. "Then again, its in you to be doubtful."

Sabin locked his jaw. The snide joke was not lost on him. But he didn't say anything. Isolde suddenly looked tired, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. Dealing with him apparently wore her out. Well the feeling was mutual.

"I never said I doubted you." he replied.

"You didn't have to. Remember, I can hear Doubt too and he tells me some very interesting things." Isolde told him.

Doubt cackled in Sabin's head. Sabin really hated that demon.

"Besides, I'm not an idiot, Sabin...I just act like one." Isolde added, turning to face her computer once more.

Sabin heaved his own sigh. He had come to thank her and had ended up on the same argument as always.

"Look, I only came to thank you. The situation could have gotten out of hand." Sabin told her.

"You would have been more banged up if I hadn't come along, but you would have survived." she replied.

She really didn't know how to take a thank you, did she?

"Still. And you handled the situation with Reyes and his woman, pretty well." Sabin added.

"You think so?"

"Yes."

"Good...because you're the next person I'm sticking too."

Sabin sputtered. Isolde turned her chair to look at him, leaning back in her seat.

"When Reyes gets back with Danika, and he will come back with her, she paint more for you. In a few weeks she'll paint a lead to the third artifact. When you leave to follow that lead, I'll be going with you. You're life is about to become...interesting, and I want to be there." Isolde told him.

Sabin perked up.

"She'll lead us in the direction of the next artifact?" he asked.

Isolde nodded. She watched as he though, more than likely trying to figure out a question he could ask that wouldn't be direct enough for her to have to deny him. Finally his eyes focused back on her.

"Will the Hunters be there?" he asked.

"Aren't they always? Persistent little roaches."

"And you're going to stick to me like you did Lucien and Reyes?"

"I told you, your time was coming up soon. Don't worry, I'll do this with all of the others." Isold said, waving a hand as she did.

Isolde glanced at her clock. Almost an hour had lapsed since Reyes had crashed through the ceiling on his way to the heavens He would be back with Danika soon. Danika would be hungry when she got back. Isolde pushed herself to her feet, clicking a button on her laptop to minimize the document she had been working on.

"Reyes will be back with Danika soon and she'll be hungry." Isolde said before turning to Sabin. "Do you want something to eat?"

"I could eat." Sabin said, pleasantly surprised.

If there was one thing Isolde knew he liked about her, it was her ability to cook. She had always heard that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach. She wasn't sure that was really the case but if it would make him less harsh towards her, she would give it a try.

"Then lets head to the kitchen."

Sabin followed her out of the room, closing the door behind them. This would make three down and nine to go. Things were only going to get even more crazy. But crazy was fun. At least in Isolde's opinion.

-0-0-0-0-

The next week passed much the same. The warriors kept an eye out for Hunters, William flirted with Danika's sister, Ginger, Legion stuck to Aeron like glue, Danika's teenaged friend Gilly moved in, and Isolde watched them all from the shadows. Everyone seemed to enjoy the company of the others. Even Torin and Cameo were becoming closer. When she wasn't watching the others, silently from her shadows, or wasn't in the kitchen cooking, Isolde stayed in her room where she was near Kane and able to amuse Disaster enough to keep him from tormenting Kane.

On the ninth day, Anya dragged her from her room and to the entertainment room where she had gathered Cameo and Torin, Ashlyn and Maddox, William, Strider, Gideon, and Kane. Once Isolde was in the room, Anya explained to her why she was there.

"You're kidding right?"

Isolde stared at the immortals before her. From the amusement on half of their faces, Anya wasn't kidding. She didn't see any of the others. Then again they had probably ran away. Something she should have done. Since she hadn't had a normal childhood, she had missed out on all of the idiotic games teenagers played; Seven Minutes in Heaven, Chicken, Spin The Bottle, Truth or Dare, etc. To suddenly have Anya purpose a game of Truth or Dare...

Isolde was close to running for the hills.

"Not at all!" Anya said, happily clapping her hands.

"I'm going back to my room." Isolde announced, turning on her heel.

"No!"

Anya latched onto her arm, yanking her to a stop. It didn't stop Isolde from trying to leave though. She tugged against Anya, but the goddess held her firmly.

"Come on, Isolde. It won't be that bad." Ashlyn told her.

"Haven't you ever played this before?" Anya asked.

"No, I haven't!" Isolde retorted.

"Then you're definitely playing! As your mother, I order you to." Anya said, dragging her into the room, wrapping an arm around Isolde's shoulders.

"I hate you." Isolde said sourly as she was forced to sit between Strider and Gideon, who were then ordered to not let her move.

"No, you don't." Anya said with confidence.

At the moment Isolde would have loved to push the goddess out a window. She heaved a sigh instead and sank back in her seat. She knew for certain...she was not picking Dare. Ever. Knowing some of those in the room like she did, Dares could go horribly wrong. Anya made up straws, nine white, one red. Strider drew the red and got to be the first to ask another person "Truth or Dare".

And of course, he turned to Isolde.

"Baby girl, Truth or Dare?" he asked with a grin.

He was probably just waiting for her to pick Dare. She hated to disappoint, buuttt...

"Truth."

Strider took a moment to think about what he wanted to ask. She should have known what was coming when the man grinned, really she should have, but she still almost bit her tongue when he finally asked his question, taking hold of a piece of her hair.

"Does the carpet match the drapes?"

Isolde's eyebrow twitched as Torin broke into laughter. Kane choked on a drink of brandy while grins lit the faces of Gideon and William. The girls protested that kind of question, but Isolde wasn't going to look like a chicken for not answering the question and just got it over with.

"No, it doesn't." she replied tartly.

Silence fell over the room. Well, not complete silence. Torin was still chuckling at her and Kane was coughing after nearly inhaling his brandy.

"No way! Then what col-"

"One question only. I answered." Isolde said, cutting off William.

William frowned and Isolde turned her gaze on a still laughing Torin.

"Fine, Wicked Man, since you like laughing at my expense, Truth or Dare."

Torin grinned. He knew better than to take a dare from Isolde. She knew exactly what to make him do that would get to him the most. And since she already knew everything about him, he figured a truth would be easier.

"Truth."

"I was **so** hoping you'd say that."

The grin on Isolde's face almost had him shifting on the spot. That grin never bode well for anyone involved.

"Since you laughed at the carpet and drapes question, here's your question. Your hair is white, your eyebrows black...what color is your pubic hair?"

Torin lost his grin as Isolde sat forward, folding her arms over her crossed legs. She gave him an innocent smile that didn't match the wicked gleam in her eyes. It took all Strider, William, and Gideon had not to laugh outright at the warrior.

"Of course, **I** already know the answer, but please...share with the others." Isolde teased, laying one hand on her chest.

Some of the others grinned and cheered her on. If Torin refused to answer he would have to take a punishment truth, which would be worse. And knowing Isolde...it would be horribly worse. Finally he heaved a sigh and put a grin back on his face.

"Black." he answered.

There were a few cat calls from Anya, William, Gideon, and Strider, the last two giving Isolde nudges. Torin shook his head and turned to William.

"Truth or Dare?"

"My awesomeness can so take any truth you throw at me." William replied.

"And you're too chicken to take a dare." Isolde added.

William shot her a look but she pretended to be examining her nails which Anya had painted silver with little sapphire blue butterflies.

"Ever sleep with a man?" Torin asked.

William made a face that was answer enough in Isolde's opinion.

"There have been those interested, of course, but no. I'm strictly for the ladies." William replied.

William instantly rounded on Isolde. Isolde heaved a sigh. She was probably going to be the most picked out of the whole group. She really shouldn't have answered her door for Anya.

"Truth or Dare?" William asked.

"Truth. I'm not stupid enough to take a dare from you." Isolde replied.

William still grinned though. Isolde scooted a little farther away from him.

"What is the kinkiest thing you've ever done?" he asked.

"Are all of these questions going to be inappropriate?" Isolde muttered, shaking her head before answering the question. "I shot the last man that slept with me. Doesn't that count?"

All eyes fixed on her intently.

"Depends. Why'd you shoot him?" William asked.

"He had a habit of beating up on me, so I repaid the favor. Aside from that I can't really think of anything I've ever done that could be considered kinky." Isolde replied.

Most of the warriors gave approving nods. Isolde shrugged her shoulders when William boo-ed her and turned to Ashlyn before any more questions could be asked.

"Ashlyn, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth." Ashlyn answered.

"Do you and Maddox ever roleplay?"

Ashlyn went blood red while Maddox grinned. If people were going to ask her those kinds of question then Isolde was going to ask them too. Even if she already knew the answer.

"Y-yes." Ashlyn answered.

"If I'm not mistaken wasn't a harem girl among one of those? And a black leather bra and panties set?" Isolde remarked idly.

Ashlyn went even redder than before and even Maddox looked a little uncomfortable.

"How do you even know that stuff? Do you peek?" Strider teased.

"I'm not answering. It's not your turn to ask me anything." Isolde told him.

Strider pouted as Ashlyn turned to Cameo who was the first pick a dare. Ashlyn, with a suggestion from Maddox, whispered her dare into Cameo's ear. Cameo grinned before getting a glass of ice and dumping it down the back of Strider's shirt. The warrior danced around, tugging on the back of his shirt to dislodge the ice. Isolde couldn't help but think about how immature these warriors could be sometimes. Then again they hadn't had a childhood, so it seemed about right.

Cameo asked Kane who chose truth, knowing Cameo enough to not choose dare. Cameo asked him if he had seduced Isolde into moving into the room next to his, to which he stumbled over his answer, while Isolde rolled her eyes. He finally got the no out turned to Isolde.

"Truth or Dare, Isolde."

"Truth."

Anya groaned, shooting Isolde a glare for always picking Truth. Isolde grinned at her.

"The tattoo on your nape...why a dragon?" Kane asked.

"Someone dear to me use to refer to me as her dragon. When she died, I had it tattooed there as a tribute to her." Isolde answered, her tone carefully blank.

Kane had obviously hit a sore spot with her and regretted asking the question. But Isolde only turned and gave him a smile. She then looked around the room, until her eyes landed on Gideon.

"Gideon, Truth or Dare."

"Truth." he answered, meaning "dare".

"Alright. I dare you to streak through the fortress naked."

All eyes turned to Isolde who was grinning as she leaned back and crossed her arms. Gideon stared at her wide eyed and her grin grew.

"Of course you can always refuse in which you must take the punishment dare and believe me...that'll be fun...for me." Isolde added.

Gideon stared at her for a moment before pushing to his feet with a curse. The group watched him leaved the room, already yanking his shirt over his head. Isolde leaned forward, waiting for a moment before jumping to her feet, pulling a dagger from her belt.

"I'll be right back." she said before slipping out of the room after Gideon.

The others looked at each others wondering what was going on. Then they heard the yell and curse from somewhere outside the room. Isolde returned to the room, the dagger missing, and a grin of satisfaction on her face. She dropped to sit on the couch next to Strider once more. Gideon was a few minutes behind her, fully dressed once more, and rubbing his back side. It was pretty obvious what Isolde had done with her knife. He shot Isolde a hard look.

"Oh come on, you should have known I wouldn't let the chance to plant a knife in your naked ass pass me by." she told him.

Gideon muttered to himself, carefully sitting down next to her. Isolde grinned at him. Gideon might have done something in return if Anya wasn't in the room. One wrong towards Isolde and Mama Bear Anya would rip him to shreds. Instead he turned to Maddox, who picked Truth. Isolde didn't bother paying much attention to it until Anya, who had gone after Maddox, turned to Isolde calling her name.

"Truth or Dare. Choose Truth and you're grounded." Anya told her.

Isolde rolled her eyes. Anya could no more ground her than Lucien could. Isolde was a grown woman and wasn't afraid to point it out to either of them. But she suppose there wasn't anything Anya could dare her to do that could be that awfully bad.

"Fine, Dare." Isolde replied.

Anya grinned, drumming her fingers together in an evil way that had Isolde rethinking her last thought. Maybe picking dare wasn't such a bright idea after all.

"I dare you to go to every warrior who isn't currently in this room and steal their underwear," Anya said.

"Doesn't sound too har-"

"That they are currently wearing." Anya added, cutting Isolde off.

Isolde slapped a hand to her face. That meant she had to find Lucien, Aeron, Reyes, Paris, Amun, and Sabin and steal the very underwear they were wearing...if they were wearing any. Paris might willingly give his to her, but she had no idea how the rest would react. She would find out. The dare itself was bad enough. She didn't want to know what a possible punishment dare could be.

"And what if they aren't wearing any? I know for a fact that half the warriors in this household don't wear underwear most of the time, if at all." Isolde retorted.

"You don't wear underwear sometimes, either." Strider pointed out.

"It's only with certain outfits that I don't wear underwear, thank you very much. And that's a very rare case. Usually that's only when Anya ask me to wear my sluttiest clothes." Isolde retorted.

Anya clapped her hands to break the two off. Isolde turned her attention back to the woman.

"If they aren't wearing underwear, just take their pants." Anya told her mercilessly.

"Got it. I'll be back." Isolde said pushing herself to her feet.

"You're really going to do it!?" Kane asked.

"Yep. I don't even want to know what the punishment dare for this one would be. Best to get it over with." Isolde said, letting her shadows over take her.

The first warrior she visited was the easiest; Paris.

The man was in his room, swallowing back ambrosia laced whiskey. He looked up at her when she appeared in the middle of his room. His arms were open instantly, welcoming her for a hug. Isolde, even though she was playing the stupid Truth or Dare game, couldn't deny Paris. She dropped to sit in his lap, letting him hug her.

"What are you up to, baby girl?" he asked.

"I'd like to say that I'm just checking in to see how you're doing, but this visit isn't just about seeing how you're fairing." Isolde told him.

Paris looked down at her, raising an eyebrow at her. He looked awful and his demon was prowling through both of their minds. Too long in close contact with Paris and she would start suffering from his demon too.

"Then what are you doing here? You shouldn't be close to me when I'm like this." he told her.

"I know, but I kind of had to come see you." she told him before explaining to him about the game and her current dare.

"That's all?" he asked.

Isolde nodded. Paris shook his head, idly running a few strands of her hair through his fingers. For him, Isolde was a comfort to have around, but he couldn't have her around him long when he was like this. But for a stupid game like this, especially since it was Anya who had issued the dare, he would gladly help her.

"Yeah I can help you. I'm probably the only one that will willingly help you. You'll have to get a drop on the rest. Especially Sabin." Paris told her, nudging her out of his lap.

Isolde got to her feet, letting him get up. She knew he was right about that. Sabin would give her the most trouble, though Aeron wouldn't be a push over about it and Lucien and Amun would be just awkward. Reyes would most likely be in bed with Danika, so she could just swipe his up off the floor. Paris twirled a finger, showing that he wanted Isolde to turn around. Isolde presented him with her back, listening to the click of his belt as he un-did the buckle.

"Though I'm surprised." Isolde remarked.

"About what?" he asked, Isolde hearing the zipper go down.

She tried not to shift uncomfortably as she waited.

"I'm surprised that you're actually wearing any. Usually you don't." Isolde replied.

"I do sometimes. Now just happens to be one of those times."

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say."

She heard the tsk noise Pairs made, before he grabbed her shoulder and spun her. He was back in his pants and had a pair of red boxers in his hand.

"Here. Good luck with the others." he told her, handing them over.

"Luck...sure. I'll be lucky if Sabin doesn't murder me for this." she retorted.

"Just run like hell." he told her.

"Will do. I'll come back to check back in on you later and tell you how it went." she promised, saluting him.

Paris smiled, though it was a weak smile in her opinion.

"Sounds good." he told her, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

Isolde grinned at him before vanishing into her shadows. The next person she went to was Reyes. She kept her shadows thick around her as she appeared in his room. As the thought, Reyes and Danika were in the bed, sleeping, a sheet draped over them. From the bareness of Reyes' exposed hip, she knew he wasn't wearing any underwear, so she swiped the black pair up off the floor. That was two down and four more to go. Isolde found Amun in a secluded part of the forest surrounding the fortress where he liked to take a lawn chair and a cooler of beers to be alone. She only knew one way to go about this.

Before Secrets could tell the man she was there, she seized him by his ankle with her shadow, hauling him up off the chair. Isolde covered her eyes, having her shadows stripping him of his pants. Thankfully there was underwear underneath. The shadows took those, placing them in her hands.

"Sorry Amun! Anya made me!" she said quickly before leaving the man.

If she was being honest...she would admit she was laughing her ass off. This was actually more amusing than she thought it would be. Her next stop brought her to Aeron's room. The warrior wasn't there, but Legion was. Isolde explained the game to the little demon and recruited Legion to help her get Aeron's off him. Legion, once she was told it was a game, was more than happy to help her. So Isolde hid in her shadows until Aeron returned to his room. Legion instantly jumped at the man, crawling over him in greeting. He didn't realize Legion had unbuckled his belt until Isolde basically pants-ed him. Legion took over from there, managing to snag his boxers off him, while Isolde kept her eyes covered.

"Legion!" Aeron scolded, yanking his pants up.

"I got them, Issssolde!" Legion said cheerfully, running across the room with the boxers in hand.

Aeron's head flew up as Isolde's hand suddenly appeared out of a shadow. Legion planted the boxers in her hand and both the hand and boxers vanished.

"Thanks Legion. You won the game." Isolde told her.

The last Isolde saw off the room Legion was cheering as Aeron charged across the room. Then she was sinking into shadows. Since Sabin would be the hardest, Isolde saved him for last. Instead she went in search of Lucien. The man was sitting at a desk in his room flipping through papers. Isolde would have to get him out of the chair. So she went into his bathroom and knocked over one of the glass bottles of perfume Anya kept there. In the room, Lucien looked up from his work.

"Anya?" he called.

When there was no answer, he pushed himself away from the desk and stood. Isolde took her chance to strike. She hit him hard in the chest with a whip made of shadows, knocking him off his feet. Nothing hard enough to hurt him. Then, with her eyes covered, she flicked a finger, her shadows yanking his pants down his legs.

No underwear.

Lovely.

Isolde took the pants.

"Sorry, Daddy! Mama made me." Isolde exclaimed before leaving.

She heared the first part of her name make it out of his mouth before she was gone. Lucien, as well as Amun and Aeron, would come hunting her for this. She needed to get to Sabin first. The man was in the gym, punching away at a punching bag. Isolde wasn't as gentle with him as she had been with the others. Before Doubt could get out one single, happy greeting, she hit Sabin hard, her shadows still tucked around her. Sabin didn't know who had barreled into him, could only see shadows, but the shadows were a dead give away.

"Isolde!?"

Keeping his arms pinned with the shadows, and sitting on his chest so he couldn't move, her shadows yanked his pants, underwear and all, off and she snatched up the underwear before jumping clear of him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" he roared.

"Ask Anya." was all she said in reply before she vanished.

Isolde reappeared in the entertainment room and dumped the articles of clothing in Anya's lap. The others stared at her in surprise.

"I didn't do this, it's your fault, and Daddy, Sabin, Amun, and Aeron are on their way at this very moment." Isolde told Anya.

Sure enough, Lucien appeared in a blink of an eye. Aeron and Amun came flying in through the door, Sabin on their heels. Isolde instantly pointed to Anya.

"She made me." Isolde said before vanishing once more.

"Isolde!" Anya snapped, but the girl was already gone, a grin on her face.

"Care to tell me why you sent our daughter to rob me of my pants?" Lucien asked.

"Pants? You got off easy. She took my damn boxers." Sabin replied.

Amun and Aeron agreed. Anya chuckled nervously as Lucien looked down at her. She was in so much trouble. She was going to get Isolde for this later. It didn't even cross her mind that it was her own fault.


	25. My Defense

Author's Note: Hello everyone. I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I lost access to internet there for a long while and only recently regained said access. The good new is, in that time, I've managed to write six new chapters. I might not be able to get all of them updated at one time, but I will have them up soon. So please enjoy and review. I do not own Lords of the Underworld or any of its characters.

Chapter 25 My Defense

Isolde spent the rest of the night in her room after visting Paris to tell him how the game went. Paris had grinned, somewhat amused with how she had gone about snagging the boxers. She had then retreated to her room, avoiding Anya who had gotten in big trouble with Lucien for her dare. After having been robbed of his pants, Lucien has shut down the game. Isolde was happy enough to retreat to her room and not have to continue playing the silly game. Though she knew it was only a matter of time before Anya got another game together.

The next day Isolde hit a dry spell with her writing and was close to banging her head on her keyboard. She hated writer's block. It was beyond frustrating. She was bent over her desk, forehead pressed into the metal top when there was a knock on her door. Disaster cackled as she banged her head against the metal desk top.

"Come in, Kane." she called.

Kane opened the door and raised an eyebrow when he saw Isolde bent over her desk, banging her head against it. Her hair was a mess from where she had run her fingers through it several times in frustration and annoyance.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Writer's block. My muse decided to up and shoot itself on me." Isolde replied.

"And that is why you're banging your head on the desk?"

"If you were a serious writer, you would share my pain."

"No thanks."

Isolde pushed herself up straight and spun her chair around to face him. Unless someone was a writer themselves and had experienced the pain of writer's block, they didn't understand why she got so hard up about not being able to think of what to write.

"Did you need something?" she asked him.

"A couple of the others are getting together outside for a training spar. I was told to ask you if you wanted to join us." Kane told her.

"Sure. It'll give my over worked brain a break. Just let me change." Isolde said, hopping out of her chair and heading for her closet.

Kane nodded and quickly turned when she started yanking her shirt off, tossing it over her shoulder. He kept his back to her as she shed her clothes and pulled on skin tight, black shorts, a stretchy red tank top, and boots. She checked her weapons, yanked on her gloves, and grabbed a hair tie to pull her hair back.

"You can turn around now." she told Kane.

Kane turned back around as she tied her hair back. He looked her over as she made sure her hair was tied. Most of Isolde's clothes left nothing to the imagination and Kane already had an over active imagination. With the skin tight clothes she was currently wearing, he could tell every dip and curve in her body.

He could also tell that she wasn't wearing a bra.

Kane had to turn his eyes to the ceiling before he made a comment he would regret. Isolde didn't usually appreciate people butting in on her personal choices. Her clothes were one of those choices that she purposely went out of her way to make questionable.

"You alright?" Isolde asked, drawing his attention back to her.

"Fine." he replied.

Isolde cocked an eyebrow at him in a questioning look. She apparently didn't buy it. She was sharper than most gave her credit for. But this was one gernade that Kane wasn't pulling the pin on. He hadn't seen her in that out-of-control, vicious, take-a-chunk-out-of-her-daddy's-arm state and he really didn't want to. After listening to Maddox, Reyes, and Paris describe the last incident, he was just fine with hearing about it.

"It's nothing really." he told her.

"I can always ask Disaster. He'd willing tell me what's going on in your head." she told him.

A cackling giggle from the demon told Kane that it would, in fact, do just that. He really hated the demon. It wasn't fair that Isolde could easily figure out what he was thinking but the majority of the time, no one knew what the hell went on in Isolde's head. She never shared. But there was one thing Kane had started to figure out about her.

"You wouldn't do that though." he said.

Isolde's head tilted to the side as she looked up at him. Those two-toned eyes stared intently into his hazel ones. It was as if she was searching to see if he honestly believed that. He did. Isolde may be able to figure it out, talking to their demons, but she usually didn't want to. That was a form of avasion of privacy that she wasn't willing to preform.

"Huh...seems one of you is starting to pick up on me. You are a scary man, Kane." she told him, shaking a finger at him before moving around him to head for her door.

Kane turned and followed her, pulling her door close behind him. He didn't know what to make of that comment. He had picked up on a few things about Isolde. Like if she was walking with someone else, she never used her shadows to transport, even if it would be quicker. She was considerate enough to walk with the person. She liked to help others with their problems, but avoided all discussion of her own, she hated being inactive unless she was sitting in front of her computer trying to write, made the cutest, yet most frustrated expression when she had writer's block, and she resorted to sarcasm when embarrassed or when she wanted to avoid a question.

None of which he would repeat to her.

"Is there any chance I could get you to forget that little tidbit?" she asked as they walked.

"Why would I?" he asked.

"Because the only reason the whole thing works is because none of you can figure me out. Kind of ruins my air of mystery if you start figuring me out." Isolde replied.

"In that case...no."

Isolde threw him a look that made him grin. He could play the game too, if he wanted to. With a grumble she gave him a light, playful punch in the side.

"In that case, you get to help me with a test." Isolde said then.

"Test? What test?" Kane asked.

Isolde turned, stopping in front of him to make him stop in his tracks. He looked down at her as she held out her hand.

"Nothing major. Let me see your wrist." she said.

Weary of what she was planning, especially since Disaster was cackling again, Kane held out his left wrist. Isolde quickly grabbed him by the wrist. Before Kane could open his mouth, shadows leapt up around them, swallowing them whole. Kane had a feeling like the floor was swept out from under his feet. Cold swept over him making him feel like he had just been shoved into a meat locker. He became disoriented before they were spit back out once more.

It took all but a single breath in, but they were suddenly outside, standing in the center of the others. Isolde let go of his wrist and Kane staggered a step before, in a wave of dizziness, he fell back on his back.

"Kane! Are you alright?"

Isolde appeared over him, looking down at him with concern. A few of the others joined her, Sabin shooting her a dirty look before questioning her about what just happened.

"I was just testing to see if I could safely transport others through my shadows. Kane, are you alright?" Isolde said, looking from Sabin back to Kane.

"Yeah. Just disoriented." Kane told her, pushing himself up into a sitting position. "There for a second I couldn't tell what was up and what was down past the darkness."

Isolde looked at him in surprise.

"Really? You couldn't see past the shadows, or keep your bearings?" she asked, intrigued.

Kane shook his head.

"You could?" he asked.

"Always. It would be pretty useless if I couldn't." Isolde replied.

Isolde and Strider helped Kane to his feet. When he was steady on his feet once more, Isolde crossed her arms, a thoughtful look on her face. She was even chewing on her bottom lip as she thought this over.

"I wonder if that's just your reaction to it. I mean with Daddy's flashing, everyone reacts somewhat differently. Maybe the same could be said with my shadow travel." she mused.

"Yeah. Maybe you're just a wimp, Kane." Strider remarked with a grin.

Isolde's eyes snapped to Strider sharply. Kane could have told the man that he was in for it now. Usually Isolde made it a point not to challenge Strider, but in some cases, she was not above it. Isolde held out her hand sharply then, catching Strider off guard.

"Then hand over your hand, hot shot. Lets see how you handle it." she said.

Strider's jaw snapped closed. It was hard to miss the challenge in Isolde's gaze. If he didn't do it then he would be in pain for days to come. It was best to just get it over with. Strider took her hand and with a grin on Isolde's face, the two were engulfed by shadows. They reappeared a few feet away. Strider bent double and threw up, much like Reyes and Gideon did when Lucien flashed them. Isolde had the biggest cat-got-the-canary grin on her face as she watched him, her hands on her hips.

"I was so hoping that would happen. Would have been better if you had passed out. I would have gotten a sharpie after your face then." Isolde remarked.

Strider shot her a dirty look. Isolde pat him on the back. Even Sabin had a grin on his face by this point. Gideon clapped Isolde on the shoulder for a job well done.

"As much fun as it is to watch Strider throw up, I thought we were going to train." Cameo remarked.

"Right! I'm ready to learn some more tricks of the trade." Isolde said, linking her arm with Cameo's.

"Coming from your mouth, I don't think I like the sound of that." Kane remarked.

"Oh, it's not you that has to worry." Isolde assured him.

Gideon, who knew what she meant, chuckled. Isolde held a finger up to her lips and Gideon grinned in reply.

"This would be a good time to work on your defensive skills, Isolde. You are good with offense but your defense could use work." Lucien said, walking up to her.

"You make it sound like I'm defenseless." Isolde replied.

"Not completely but you could stand to learn a bit more." Lucien told her.

Isolde could see what led him to that belief and couldn't argue with him on it. She did get injured quite a lot. She lacked a traditional form of defense. If she saw an attack coming that she could avoid, she avoided it, but she didn't kill herself trying to defend her body from harm when she knew it wouldn't be fatal. She was just fine with the way she fought, but Lucien thought she needed to improve. She saw his point, so she shrugged.

"Alright then." she agreed.

"Then let us see how you do. Sabin and I will attack you." Lucien said.

A devil's grin lit Isolde's face, her eyes flashing. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Isolde was planning something. The question than became who was the plan directed against? Lucien or Sabin? They would find out and they both had a feeling that they weren't going to like the answer.

Isolde took a position in the middle of the yard, rolling her shoulders. She was ready to blow a little steam before they would all have to head off to Egypt. If she didn't, she might be tempted to jump the gun once there. Not something she could afford to do. Not with Hunters around. Especially not given what they would find once there. She spun to face Lucien and Sabin, eyeing the two.

Lucien could flash. That would be a problem simply because he would be able to move faster than she could react to. Of course she knew where he was thanks to Death's constant presence in her head, but he could move faster than she could track and could hide in the spiritual realm. She could see him in that realm thanks to her link with Death, but she couldn't attack him. That would be a problem indeed. She could always vanish into her shadows, stay within the realm created by them, but that would make it hard for her to attack too.

Then there was Sabin. The man was clever. Really clever. And fast in his own right. But she knew his weaknesses better than anyone. For one, he couldn't see great distances, having lost an eye while serving Zeus, who had to replace said eye. Then there was his habit of grabbing an opponent if he had a free hand. That was the reason he carried two blades when battling, always had his hands full. If she could disarm him of a single blade, he would grab her and she could use that against him. Then there was his left knee. If she applied any kind of pressure to it, she could take him down.

In the end, if she had to choose which one to attack, then hands down..it would be Sabin.

She was weak in defense, it was true. She always had been. No matter the fight she had gotten into, she had always forsaken defense for offense. If she could take her opponent down first, then there was no need for defense. In her head, the best defense had always been a swift, and strong offense. Because of that, she had developed a strong knack for avasion. If she was out powered, out classed, running was better than dying.

Some said a person had to fight to live another day. Isolde said one had to run to live another day. Better to run, be called a coward, and live, than to die needlessly. She could always take advantage of the sense of confidence one gained from her retreat, to slaughter them the next time. That was how her mind worked. Always working to stay a step ahead.

So in this case she would ignore Lucien, aim for Sabin.

She owed him anyway and the underwear raid wasn't good enough payment.

Sabin and Lucien saw the change in Isolde instantly. She scanned the both of them and then there was a sharp glint in her eyes before she shifted her position, hands hovering just to the sides of her body, ready to reach for a weapon. The grin on her face vanished as she turned serious, sharp eyes waiting and watching. Having always been fighting on the same side of her, neither of them had ever focused on her when fighting. It was a first to watch the change come over her. The others could see it too.

Isolde took a deep breath and when she moved, it was quick and sure, her feet carrying her quickly towards Lucien. She was going to focus on the one that could flash first. That was what Sabin thought as he move in from her side, blades already in his hands. As long as he avoided massive damage, there was no need to worry about injuring her. He would strike while she was focused on Lucien. He striked from behind, blade slicing towards her right shoulder, but then Isolde's knees buckled, lowering her body. The blade flew over her shoulder and Isolde's right hand came up, her own blade sending his flying.

She turned on him then, eyes intent. Sabin took a step back as her hand flashed out again. The blade missed and, out of habit, Sabin reached for her with his free hand, grabbing the wrist of her right hand, stopping the blade from stabbing him in the side. A grin flashed across Isolde's face before she dropped the blade in her right hand, twisting her wrist in his grip until she wrapped her hand around his wrist in kind. With the grip, she was able to twist enough to kick one foot out...towards his left knee.

Sabin knew his mistake the moment her heel connected with his left knee and he went down. He grit his teeth, dragging her with him. Isolde went easily, rolling with him. One of her arms snaked around his neck, while the other wrapped under his left arm. She locked her arms in place, putting him in a head lock. She had her arms in the perfect position to snap his neck if he fought her.

"You knew about my weak points." Sabin hissed as she held him firmly.

"I keep telling you, I know everything about you. If I really wanted to be your enemy, I would have killed you a long time ago with the information I know. Yet, I haven't and you insist I'm a danger to you and the others. You should have ended up with Distrust instead of Baden." Isolde retorted.

Sabin gnashed his teeth together, trying to twist free. Isolde held steady, tightening her grip around his neck and cutting off a little of his air, until he settled back down. Lucien approached, but stopped a few feet short of the two. This had been Isolde's goal from the beginning. Getting to Sabin to prove a point. She had made up her mind to use this training session as a chance to try to prove something to Sabin in a split second after Lucien had told her that it would be him and Sabin against her, and she had not hesitated to act on it instantly.

That was Isolde alright.

"Isolde, release him. You were suppose to be focusing on defense." Lucien told her.

"This is defense." Isolde replied.

"No it's no-"

"For me a good defense is a swift and strong offense. If I strike first there is no point in a defense. If I know my opponent's every weakness and can use those against them, there is no point in defending. Knowing a person's weak points, like a tendency to grab an opponent when they have a free hand or a weak knee, is all I need. I'll exploit it for all it's worth. No point in hesitating. All is fair in war because there is nothing fair about war. If an opponent is bigger, stronger, more experienced, I'll take any advantage I can get my hands on. And if I can't find any, I'll run. You may fight to live another day, I do too, but if I have no chance of winning a battle, I'll run to live another day. Screw traditional defense." Isolde said.

Sabin twisted to look up at her. Those two-toned eyes peered back down at him, purpose in their depths. She was trying to prove a point. He understood that. But it only made him even more weary of her than he had been before. Though she had a point. Knowing what she knew, she could have taken his head a long time ago and had never so much as tried. She stared at him unblinking, her gaze merciless as she stared at him.

"I have my own way of dealing with a fight and this is it. I know your every weakness, everyone one you had, do have, and will have. Do you really think that if I was an enemy, I would have gone all this time without acting against you? Give me some credit, I do have a brain. Using others' weaknesses against them, using my knowlegde of them against them, is my forte. I'm an unforgiving bitch in that manner." she added, still staring at Sabin with that hard, unblinking gaze.

Then she blinked and the hard edge was gone from her gaze. She released him and backed away from him.

"So for me, this is defense."

Isolde shrugged as she turned away from Sabin and walked away from Lucien and Sabin. She had proven her point and that was all she cared about. Lucien frowned as he watched her walk away. Gideon was grinning by the time she reached him.

"I told you I'd put him in a head lock for you." Isolde told Gideon, getting a high-five from the blue haired male.

Sabin shot Gideon a glare, but he didn't look sorry at all about having asked Isolde to put him in a head lock.

"Did you really have to go that far to prove a point?" Kane asked.

"Given his low opinion of me? Yeah, I did." Isolde replied.

Sabin got to his feet, turning to look at her back. Isolde didn't bother turning to look at him. She was really giving him a hard time and he had a feeling it was only going to get worse the longer he held onto his belief that she was a danger to them all. Isolde was tired of being looked at as the bad guy there, just because she happened to know a little more than anyone else.

"That's enough, Isolde. Lets return to training." Lucien remarked.

"Sure." Isolde agreed.

Lucien pointedly gave Sabin a look before putting Isolde back to work, fighting against Gideon and Cameo. The two stood back and watched Isolde. The girl was fast, watching her opponents intently and moving according to how they moved. Like with Sabin, she was mindful of their weak spots, always trying to remain one step ahead of them.

She didn't have strength, like the men did, or even like Cameo, but she was fast and her aim was nearly spot on with knives and bullets. In the end she ended up barreling into Gideon, taking his knees out from under him, and hit the ground rolling with him. When they came to a stop, she had an arm wrapped around his throat and was forcing him to bend backwards awkwardly, as she held him in place. Gideon kept tapping her arm to get her to let go.

"Say mercy." Isolde told him.

"Ruthless!" Gideon called, his way of saying mercy.

"Sorry, that doesn't sound like mercy to me." Isolde joked.

Gideon frowned, cursing at her, managing to make her laugh. Lucien watched as Isolde finally released him.

"She's fast, accurate. Not very strong unless she lets one of the demons take over." Lucien remarked.

Sabin agreed. For all that Isolde didn't really seem to be taking this all too seriously, she did focus to get the job done. And he had seen her in a real fight. She had a deadly focus and seemed to be single minded when fighting. Though Lucien had a point. Sabin had seen how she had attacked when Reyes' demon was messing with her head. It was much more of an aggressive approach than how she fought normally. Either way, he agreed with Isolde that Lucien couldn't claim she couldn't hold her own.

By the time Lucien had paired her against every one of them, Isolde had gained a few bruises but otherwise felt pretty good. It was a better work out than running on a tredmile or lifting weights or going after the punching bag. After a few hours, Lucien called it quits and Isolde stretched. She headed upstairs to her room, ditching her clothes in the laundry basket and took a shower to wash away the sweat. As she toweled dry and got dressed, she ran through a mental grocery list. Having so many warriors in the house meant that what she did buy, was burned through quickly. Even when Paris covering the junk food end of the grocery shopping, it didn't take long for all of the food to vanish.

Dressed, Isolde snagged her bag, checking to make sure her wallet was inside. She had finally caved and allowed Torin to make her account. The man was constantly storing money in there for her to use. It was a lot easier than carrying money, but she swore she would never check to see how much money was in the account. She was positive the number would go to her head.

Stepping out into the hall, she stepped up to door next to hers and knocked. Kane was shirtless, his hair still wet from a shower, when he answered the door. Isolde fixed her eyes on his face so she wouldn't stare at his bare chest.

"Hey. I'm about to make a run into town to do some shopping. Want to come?" she asked.

Kane made a face when she said shopping and she knew why. She rolled her eyes at him, her hands going to her hips.

"Grocery shopping, goofball. I don't do the other kind unless Anya makes me." Isolde told him.

"You think it'll be okay?"

He meant with Disaster. The little demon was cackling in the back of her head. He loved any chance to be around Isolde in a public setting. Her accident prone nature was amusement enough to keep the demon occupied.

"Yeah, I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm almost sure to knock something over on myself." she replied.

The idea appealed greatly to the demon and she had a mental image of the demon rubbing his scaled hands together as he laughed and licked his lips. At least someone thought it was funny when she accidently knocked over displays.

"Sure. Just let me grab a shirt." Kane told her, turning to head for his closet.

Isolde leaned against the door jam, looking around his room as he looked for a clean shirt.

"You sure you want to do that? The ladies in town would eat you up if you didn't. Hell, they would still eat you up." she remarked.

"I'd rather not. Relationship, even one-night stands are tricky with the demon." he replied.

"With me nearby, I don't think you have to worry."

Kane stepped out of the closet, pulling a shirt over his head. He raised an eyebrow at her as he checked his weapons.

"You would really wait around while I did such a thing?" he asked.

"Wouldn't be the first time." she remarked.

When he gave her a questioning look, she heaved a sigh and crossed her arm over her chest.

"When I first came here and Lucien finally let me out of the fortress, I would go with Paris into town. While he had his fun, I would hang around at cafes or go grocery shopping. As long as you don't insist I have to be in the room, I don't really mind." she explained.

Her last sentence put a mental image in his head that would have been better left out of it. He gave his head a shake. She wouldn't have to worry about that. He wasn't going to be looking for a bed partner and he sure as hell wasn't going to use her like that. He told her about as much and was rewarded with a laugh and bright smile.

"You and Paris seem pretty close." he remarked as he followed her out of his room and down the hall.

"I suppose so. After Lucien, he's probably the one I'm the closest to." Isolde replied.

For some reason that put a bad, tight feeling in his chest. He didn't like the feeling.

"He's been like a brother to me since I've come here. I think he likes having a little sister figure that he can try to spoil." Isolde added.

"You have no romantic interest in him?" Kane questioned.

"Oh gods no! Don't get me wrong, I love Paris, but my idea of the man I'd fall for, are a bit different than him. Besides, after all the crap he's been through, he deserves better than someone like me whose too broken to know love when it hits her in the face...repeatedly. I won't date any of you for that reason." Isolde replied.

It was a solid concept, though he didn't agree with the reason. Isolde didn't look broken to him. A little mistrusting and distant, but not broken. They were all that way when it came down to it. After long, hard lives like their's, it was only reasonable. Isolde never shared what darkened her past.

"And and Torin, on the other hand, have had the same idea." she remarked.

Kane looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. What did she mean by that? When she only grinned at him before taking the stairs down, two at a time, he frowned. What did she mean!? Kane caught up with at the bottom of the stairs.

"What was that suppose to mean?" he asked.

"You know, I can't really blame either of you. She's a beautiful woman. Strong, confident, and actually very caring." Isolde said instead of answering.

Wait...did she mean Cameo?

"You know I use to be together with Cameo? Wait...Cameo's with Torin now?"

Isolde grinned at him, laughing at his expression.

"For one, when I said I know everything about you, I meant I know all about your past relationships too." she told him. "And for two, yes she is."

Kane heaved a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. That showed how much he paid attention to what was going on around him. By this point, Isolde had snagged a set of keys by the back door and was leading the way outside to the cars. She turned to him and waved the keys.

"You want to drive, or should I?" she asked.

"I will. Lucien told us all not to let you drive. Something about crashing your car before coming here." Kane told her, snagging the keys.

"Oh, so that's the reason! In my defense, the other guy ran a red light." Isolde replied, though she didn't argue.

The ride down the hillside to town was quick. Kane parked and let Isolde drag him to the grocery store she usually shopped at. He had to admit that it felt strange, being dragged from one aisle to the next, having his opinion asked for now and then. He felt like some kind of husband out on a shopping trip with his wife. And then it was nice to watch Isolde as she focused on shopping. She was so mindful of the likes and dislikes of all of their housemates, her sunglasses blocking her eyes from view. Then she came across some kind of snack called Pocky and had to buy every box they had on the shelf. She grinned at him as she stowed all twenty something boxes of the treat in their cart.

"Pocky is my kryptonite." she admitted, cheeks turning a light pink with a blush. "That and Razzleberry Pea Tea. I'd take that over chocolates and roses any day."

When she turned to continue on to the next aisle, Isolde, as she had predicted back at the fortress, ran right into a display. She hit her butt, canned food crashing down around her. Disaster cackled away gleefully as Kane went to her side to dig her out from under all of the cans. The employee who had been stacking the cans joined him.

"Are you alright?" Kane asked.

"Yeah, fine. I told you I'm accident prone." Isolde replied, accepting his hand up.

Kane pulled her to her feet, making sure none of the cans had struck her hard enough to make her bleed. Thankfully she was without injury.

"I'm so sorry about your display." Isolde told the man who had been stacking the cans.

"Don't worry about it. Accidents happen." he told her, giving her a smile before bending to gather the cans.

"We should finish up before you crash into anything else." Kane suggested.

He was use to bringing about small disasters like this, himself. But to have to watch out for disasters caused by someone else? He had to admit that it was actually a little refreshing. She agreed with him and they wrapped up shopping as quickly as they could. On their way out, the cashier had to remark that it was always amusing to watch Isolde and her accidents. Kane gave Isolde a questioning look as they carried the bags.

"I shop there all the time and it's not the first time I've accidently knocked over a display or something. They're all pretty much use to it by now." Isolde replied.

Knowing how that felt, Kane tried not to laugh, but the pout on her face undid him and he couldn't hold back the laugh. Isolde frowned at him and lightly jabbed him in the side with an elbow.

"Did you ever hear that it's not polite to laugh at others?" she asked.

Kane apologized to her, but he couldn't lose the smile on his face as they walked side by side back to the car. He really did like spending time with Isolde. She was just the right mix of ungraceful, childish, serious, and acutely aware to make it humorous.

Not that he would ever say that to her face.

He didn't have a death wish.


	26. Tomb Raiding

Author's Note: As I promised, here is the second chapter out of the six I have for all of you. As the insecure writer that I am, I would love to hear all of your opinions on this story. Encouragments are loved, constructive criticism is welcomed, and ideas are a joy to have. So please enjoy and review. I do not own Lords of the Underworld or any of its characters.

Chapter 26 Tomb Raiding

Just as Isolde had said, a few weeks later Danika painted the Hunters looking for the third artifact in the pyramids of Egypt. Isolde declared at the same time that she was going to be sticking to Sabin for a while, much to the man's annoyance. It meant that his life was about to get a little more interesting than the others and she didn't want to miss it. That meant that standing in the catacombs of a pyramid, Isolde wasn't far from him.

They had found the Hunters of course, had fought with them and now had nine of them crowded into a corner. Blood was splattered on the walls, turning the sandy floor into a floor made of black paste. Like Sabin and the others, Isolde was cut and bruised, but she faired better than she had in the last few fights she had gotten into. At the moment, she was squating in front of the captured Hunters, watching them closely with an intent stare, a gun in her right hand as she propped her chin in the left. Under the intense stare of those two-toned eyes, the men shifted uncomfortably.

One Hunter spat at her, but Isolde's only reply was a very human one...she flipped him off. Then again, Sabin had to remind himself that she had been human at one time. What she was now, was beyond all of them. Even herself. For a person who knew just about everything about those around her, Isolde was completely clueless about herself. It was the only thing about her that he actually liked at that point in time.

She wasn't perfect.

"Amun. You know what to do." Sabin said, turning to look at the dark warrior.

Isolde's eyes only darted up briefly when Amun stepped up beside her. The Hunters crowded further into the corner in fear. Amun's eyes swept over the group before he lunged forward to grab one man out of the center of the group, picking him up by the throat.

"Let him go, you flithy demon. You've killed countless innocents, ruined so many lives already!" one Hunter yelled.

"He's a good man. He doesn't deserve to die. Especially at the hands of such evil!" another yelled.

"Hey, Mr. Kettle, Mr. Pot called. He says you're black." Isolde snapped at the Hunter, leaping to her feet to shove him away from Amun.

She caught the man off guard, managing to send him stumbling back into his fellows. Gideon joined her on the other side of Amun, knocking the others back.

"Touch him again, and I'll kiss the hell out of you." Gideon told them.

At the Hunters' confused looks, Isolde clarified for Gideon.

"He means he'll beat the hell out of you. I'd gladly join." Isolde said, eyes flashing as she pulled a knife out to fill her empty left hand.

Amun's captive still then and Amun dropped him into a heap on the floor. Isolde stiffened along side Amun, and reached up to rub at one temple with two fingers. Secrets was trying to cram just as many secrets into her head as he was into Amun's. It made her brain pulse against her skull. But she dealt with it. She took all the useless information Amun shifted through, to ease the burden on his head, leaving him with only the information he was looking for. She had a massive headache afterward, but it was worth it if it eased the torment Amun would go through later.

Amun gave her a strained smile before turning towards the far wall. She rubbed at her temples as he messed with the stones of the wall until a passage way opened up.

"Any Hunters waiting on the other side?" Sabin asked, checking the clip in his Sig Sauer.

"Seven." Isolde answered as she moved to stand beside Amun, twising her head until there was a loud pop from her neck. "And no, they don't know we're here."

Sabin nodded. There was one upside to having Isolde around. When it wouldn't affect the future she knew, she would give them solid answers. She wasn't going to tell them what waited for them, of course, she had no problem telling them how many Hunters were on the other side or that there were no cameras watching them.

"Seven Hunters is child's play. Isolde could handle them alone." Lucien remarked.

"Is that suppose to be a round-about way of saying I'm the weakest one here?" Isolde asked, turning to look at the man.

"Gods, no." Lucien replied.

He knew better than to pull the pin on that gernade by saying yes. Sabin was starting to learn that Isolde's temper was something to be feared. She was in no way, the weakest one of them. She wasn't the strongest either. She was just...plain vicious.

"Just go on without me. I'm fading. I'll soon have souls to escort, anyway. And then I'll have to flash our prisoners to the dungeon in Buda." Lucien said.

Isolde turned then, pegging Lucien with an intense, questioning stare. He gave her a smile, his way of telling her, he would be fine. Isolde's eyes swept him from head to toe. She wouldn't be happy until she heard it from his mouth.

"I'll live. Tomorrow, though, I'll probaby wish I hadn't. A few organs are shredded." Lucien said.

"At least you don't have to regenerate a limb." Sabin said.

"Or a complete organ, like Reyes had to do when Paris decided to play Hide the Pancreas." Isolde added in, Sabin nodding in agreement.

Amun flashed hand signs then, drawing Sabin's attention.

"Not only are there no cameras installed, but they're in a chamber with soundproof walls. This is an ancient prison and the masters did not want anyone to hear their slaves screaming. The Hunters are completely oblivious to our presence, which should make it easy to ambush them." Sabin said.

"You don't need me for a simple ambush. I'll stay behind with Lucien. Besides, someone needs to guard the prisoners." Reyes said, sliding down a wall to sit.

"Your women are going to give me hell." Sabin said, looking at the two.

Danika would be silently disappointed in Sabin, which would make him feel slimier than slim, and Anya would more than likely shoot him where Lucien had been shot, making him feel Lucien's pain.

"They'll kill me if you manage to get hurt too." Sabin added, turning his gaze to Isolde.

As Lucien's and Anya's adopted daughter, Anya would slaughter Sabin for letting her precious daughter get hurt. Danika wouldn't be too pleased either. Isolde though, heaved a sigh.

"I don't see why. I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself. And I told them as much before coming along." Isolde replied.

That wouldn't stop Anya from dismembering him if Isolde was hurt. She had already been shot through the throat because of Sabin. Anya had been furious then but hadn't done anything under request from both Lucien and Isolde. This time she wouldn't hold back.

"Just watch your back." Sabin told her.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Isolde replied.

Isolde turned then, her eyes seeking out her closest confident among the warriors. Paris was standing in front of the Hunters, primed for battle. Sabin had caught Isolde watching the warrior more closely lately. She constantly sought out the warrior and where Paris usually basked in the girl's attention like a big brother with a little sister complex, he had begun to demand Isolde stay away from him. It hurt Isolde. Anyone with eyes could see she didn't like it, but she abided by his wishes. She didn't say a word, not even when Aeron punched a Hunters with no other excuse than he thought the man was about to attack. With his own excuse of keeping them calm, Paris knocked the rest out.

Sabin watched as Isolde stepped up beside Paris, laying a hand on his back. Paris stiffened for a moment before relaxing, letting out a long sigh. He leaned back against Isolde, the girl's shoulder pressing into his back. He took comfort from Isolde, as Aeron sometimes did. Even Cameo sometimes sought out the girl if for no other reason than a break from the constant attention of her demon. With Isolde around, her demon actually let her have peace enough that she could relax and somewhat smile. There had even been a time that Sabin had come across the two in a drawing room. Isolde had been sitting on a couch, book in hand, with Cameo laying across her lap, an arm draped over her eyes and a content, half smile on her face.

Sabin had never sought the comfort as some of the others did. Not that Isolde would offer it to him, he was sure. He had no trust in her and the knowledge of that made her, well...a bitch to him.

Kane passed Sabin than and with Isolde's attention on someone else other than Kane, Disaster decided to be like a child and act up, sending plumes of dust sparying into the room. The others coughed, Isolde waving dust away from her face. Sabin was sure Isolde wouldn't stay behind, and her attention was going to be on other things aside from Kane and his demon. That meant Disaster was going to continue to act up as it was.

"Uh, Kane. Why don't you stay here, too? You can help Reyes watch the prisoners." Sabin said.

Isolde's eyes shot to him sharply and she opened her mouth to say something but Kane just gave a clipped nod. He glanced at Isolde and shook his head. Isolde's eyes darted from Kane to Sabin and her mouth snapped shut with the clicking of her teeth.

"I'll be back soon." she promised Kane.

It was with comments like that that it made the two sound like a couple, but Sabin knew Isolde stuck to Kane's side to miminize the damage his demon caused. For some reason, Disaster loved Isolde and was always too focused basking in her attention and being amused by her own personal disasters, to bother creating any of it's own. Kane gave Isolde a nod. The stone had finally finished sliding open. Amun peered inside, signalling that it was clear. Isolde reached up, patting Paris' back. The man stood up straight, stiffening once he was no longer in contact with her.

"We going to do this or just stand here and wait for them to find us? I'm ready." Aeron said when no one moved to enter the passage.

"Look at you, all unenthusiastic and shit. I'm not impressed." Gideon said.

Isolde looked at Sabin then, as if waiting for him to take charge. In the heat of battle was the only time she would take orders from him. Even then it was only fifty-fifty that she would actually listen to him. Even Lucien couldn't do better than that. Sabin considered the best way to proceed from that point.

"Isolde and I will go first since we're the least injured." Sabin said. "I want you staggered, a less injuried man paired with a more injured one. You'll work together, most injured acting as backup while the healthier takes out the target. Leave as many as you can alive. I know you don't want to, that is goes against every instinct you possess. But don't worry. They'll die soon enough. Once we ferret out the leader-and learn his secrets-they'll be useless to us and you can do what you want to them."

Isolde nodded, moving to his side as those standing in the passage doorway, moved out of their way. Sabin hurried into the hallway, Isolde on his heels, the others following after them. Questions tumbled through Sabin's head and Doubt began to latch onto to them, to pour doubt after doubt into his head until Sabin threatened to spend the next week in his room, reading to stop thought. When the demon whined at that, Sabin caught a grin flashing onto Isolde's face.

At least one of them was amused.

Sabin came to a stop, raising a hand when the doorway to the chamber appeared. Isolde came to a stop beside him, the others stopping behind them. Voices drifted out of the chamber. Sabin unleashed his demon on the unsuspecting humans in the chamber beyond. Conversation in the room beyond trickled away. Sabin raised a finger, counting up to three. When he reached the third, the warriors surged into the room, Isolde moving faster than Sabin, keeping close to the ground. He would have to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't do anything to get herself seriously hurt.

-0-0-0-0-

To say she had been shocked the moment the blood covered warriors charged into the room, would have been an understatement. Gwen sank back against the far wall, especially when one, a young girl, approached the cell. Gwen looked her over, taking in the zebra streaked, red-brown hair, the blue lined, vermillion red eyes, the blood splattered, ripped clothes, and two butterfly tattoos peeking up over the collar of her shirt and from between the hem of her shirt and the low belt line of her jeans. Those butterflies were so...menacing looking. Razored wings, both glittering, one orange, the other a purple-red.

The girl tilt her head to the side, taking Gwen in as she had done her. Gwen's eyes shifted past her then, catching the eye of one of the other warriors as he glanced over at his female companion. He too had a butterfly tattoo, his violet in color that wrapped around his right rib cage and dipped down past his waistband. Doubts suddenly plauged her though they weren't any of her own making. The man became annoyed, nails digging into his temples before he snarled to himself.

The girl turned to look at him, calm as could be even as the last standing human came after her friend.

"Incoming." the girl called.

Without looking away from Gwen, the warrior's arm came up to grab the human by the neck. The girl in front of Gwen turned fully.

"You can't kill him." she told her companion.

"She's right, Sabin." another woman said, patting the man on the shoulder. "Like you told us, we might need him."

Sabin turned away from Gwen, dropping the human man.

On the other side of the glass cell, Isolde shook her head, her hands going to her hips.

"Who are these women?" Strider asked.

"Dear gods. That one is pregnant." Maddox added.

"So is that one. What kind of bastards keep pregnant females in these conditions? This is low even for Hunters." Paris added.

"Anyone hear what they're saying?" Maddox asked.

"Believe me, you don't want to know half of it. It's not very nice." Isolde replied.

She turned then to look at Gwen as Sabin did.

"You can hear us, right." she stated instead of asked.

Gwen nodded. She could swear the girl already knew the answer before asking.

"Can they?" Sabin asked, pointing to the other woman.

Gwen shook her head in answer.

"Can you hear me?" she asked.

"I'm reading your lips. I don't know about Isolde." Sabin said, shaking his head.

"I can't hear her. I just already know what she's going to say." Isolde replied.

"Can you get them out of there, baby girl?" Paris asked.

"No. It's godly glass. My shadows aren't wanting to go past it. If I force it, I might get stuck in there too." Isolde replied, shaking her head.

"How do we open the glass?" Sabin asked, looking at Gwen.

Gwen pressed her lips together, not sure if she should answer the question. Isolde turned to fix two toned eyes on Gwen.

"We haven't come to harm you. You have my word. We just want to free you." Sabin told Gwen.

Gwen pushed to her feet, approaching the glass. Isolde didn't move, even when Gwen stood just on the other side of the glass.

"Woman?" Sabin asked.

"Stones." Gwen answered.

"Bones?" Sabin said in confusion.

"She said, stones, not bones." Isolde offered.

"Stones?" Sabin said before spinning on the spot.

Isolde watched as he took in the room, searching it. The others were watching Gwen and Isolde had a good idea what was going through a few of their heads.

"Turn away." Sabin growled at the men.

Isolde watched from the side of her eyes as Gwen spun around, thinking he was speaking to her. Isolde cleared her throat and when Sabin looked at her, she jerked her head towards the cell. He frowned when he saw Gwen.

"I didn't mean you, woman." Sabin told Gwen.

"Aw, come one. You're not serious about-"

"You're scaring her." Isolde said, cutting off Strider for Sabin.

"But she-"

"You want answers or not? I said turn!" Sabin said, cutting off Aeron.

Isolde shook her head as the others groaned and did as told. Sabin turned to Isolde, who raised an eyebrow at him. He wasn't about to get into an arguement with her and he had a feeling that demanding she join the others would only start one. So he focused on Gwen, calling out to her. She turned around to face him again.

"Which stones?" he asked, pressing a hand to the glass.

Gwen pointed to a case beside him.

"Good, that's good. But what do I do with them?" Sabin asked.

"You use them like keys." Isolde replied.

Gwen turned her eyes on Isolde. How did this girl have the answers? She didn't think she was a mind reader, but that could be the case for all she knew.

"Does it matter which stone goes where?" Sabin asked.

Gwen nodded, pointing to a stone and then to the cage it belonged to. Sabin turned to the case, smashing it with one fist. Isolde never so much as flinched, use to such things as she was.

"Grab a stone." Sabin told the others, who turned to do so.

He directed them on which stone went where, Isolde stepping in to correct him when he got a placement wrong. When Gideon was about to pick up the stone to Gwen's cell, Sabin stopped him, telling him that he was taking that one. Gideon grinned.

"Hating what we see, are we?" Gideon asked.

Isolde grinned as Sabin frowned. He shooed her away, thrusting a stone into her hands. Isolde took the stone with a mocking salute. The woman she released was heavily pregnant and sobbing by the time Isolde opened the cell. She threw herself at Isolde, sobbing into Isolde's shoulder and thanking her as Isolde soothed her with a gentle hand on her back. Paris went from one woman to the next, calming them into sleep. When he reached Isolde, he took the woman from her, so the pregnant woman wouldn't knock Isolde over. Isolde smiled up at him, turning as Sabin stood, tossing and catching the stone to Gwen's cell.

"Don't run. Alright? I'm tired and I don't want to chase you, but I will if you make me. And I'm afraid I'll accidently hurt you." Sabin told Gwen.

"You wouldn't be able to catch her." Isolde remarked, but didn't bother explaining when Sabin gave her a questioning look.

"Don't...free her. Dangerous. Deadly." the human leader said, revealing that he had been awake.

With a call from Sabin, Cameo stalked over to the man, picking him up by the back of his shirt and pressing a blade to his neck.

"What do you want me to do with him?" Cameo asked.

"Keep him there. Alive. Feel free to hurt him a bit, though." Sabin replied.

"Don't set the girl free. Please don't." the human man repeated.

If Isolde remembered right, his name was Chris. He was scared of Gwen and rightly so after all the torment he had put her and the other women through.

"Maybe you should leave the redhead in her cell. For now, at least. Just in case." Cameo suggested.

"He's a Hunter. A liar. And I think he hurt her, but doesn't want her able to tell us." Sabin replied, turning to look at Gwen. "Is that right? He hurt you?"

Gwen nodded, her cheeks coloring.

"He'll pay for that. You have my word." Sabin told her.

"Listen to me. Please. I know I'm your enemy, and I won't lie and pretend you're not mine. You are. I hate you with every fiber of my being." Chris said.

"Wow, that's one hell of a way to start out a plea for your life." Isolde remarked, hands on hips, the man ignoring her.

"But if you let her go, she'll kill us all. I swear it." Chris finished.

"Will you try and kill us, little red?" Sabin asked Gwen.

Gwen shook her head, though Isolde knew that if Gwen's Harpy took over, she would do exactly as Chris said.

"That's what I thought. Besides, Isolde wouldn't let us do this if it was dangerous." Sabin said, nodding towards Isolde.

"Oh, no, she's dangerous alright." Isolde said suddenly.

Sabin froze and turned to look at her. All eyes fixed on Isolde.

"That little woman would rip us all to shreds in the matter of seconds and leave nothing but bloody strips in her wake. So is her beast's nature. But at this point, here and now, she's no threat to us. Now him," Isolde gestured to Chris. "he has something to worry about. Then again, I would want to rip him to shreds too if I had been through the hell he put her through."

Sabin frowned, looking from Isolde to Chris who stared at the young woman in horror.

"It's safe?" Sabin asked.

"For us, yes." Isolde replied.

"That's all I need." Sabin said, trusting Isolde for once and popping the stone into it's hole.

The glass lifted, finally freeing Gwen. Sabin was taken off guard by Gwen's appearance. She would have reached out to touch him if Chris hadn't spoken up then.

"Bitch. Stay away from me. Keep her away from me. She's a monster!" he spat.

Isolde heaved a sigh. She knew the man had just signed his death cerficicate. He was a dead man for sure. Had he just kept his mouth shut, he would have lived a little longer. Sure enough, Gwen's eyes went black and then she was gone. One minute she was there in the cell and the next she was gone. Then Chris screamed, the agonized sound dying away before he collapsed onto the floor, blood pooling around him. Then Gwen was back in the cell, sitting on the floor, knees drawn up to her chest, blood dripping from her mouth and Chris' trachea in one hand.

Sabin turned to look at Isolde with a what-the-hell look on his face. Isolde was completely unsurprised, her eyes fixed on Gwen. When she looked at him, she shrugged.

"I said she was no threat to **us**. He was begging for a painful death." Isolde told him.

Sabin turned back to Gwen and took a step inside the cell. He couldn't leave her there.

"Sabin, man. You might not want to rethink going in there. For once, a Hunter was lying." Gideon said.

"Know what we're dealing with here?" Sabin asked.

"No. She's not a Harpy, the spawn of Lucifer who did not spend a year unfettered on earth. I haven't dealt with them before and I don't know that they can kill an army of immortals in mere seconds." Gideon replied.

"When?" Sabin asked.

"Remember when I wasn't imprisoned? One didn't destroy half the camp before a single alarm could be sounded. She didn't take off, for whatever reason, and the remaining Hunters didn't spend the next few days cursing the entire race." Gideon replied.

"Hold on. Harpy? I don't think so. She isn't hideous. How can she be a Harpy?" Strider asked.

"Oh my gods, you are a imbecile." Isolde said, pressing a hand to her face as she shook her head. "Human myths are sometimes, most times, distorted. Just because most legends claim Harpies are hideous doesn't mean they are. I was once human and I know this. Most are actually very beautiful and have skin that would have you on all fours begging to be whipped."

Strider frowned, one at being called stupid, and two at the image she had just put in his head. Isolde just shook her head.

"She's right. Now, everyone out. I'll deal with her." Sabin declared, tossing his weapons.

Protest rose from all of the warriors present. Isolde knew Sabin would win the arguement and soon, he did just that. He was insistent that Gwen was going to be coming with them, alive and safe. But Maddox wasn't about to give up easily.

"Hell, no. I don't want a Harpy anywhere near Ashlyn." Maddox said.

"You saw what she did-"

"Yes, I did, and that's exactly why I don't want her near my pregnant human. The Harpy stays behind." Maddox said, cutting off Sabin.

"She has to hate these men as much as we do. She can help our cause." Sabin insisted.

"No."

"She'll be my responsibility, and I'll make sure she keeps her claws and teeth sheathed." Sabin assured him.

"You want her, she's yours. Maddox will agree because you never pressure Ashlyn to go into town and listen to conversations Hunters might have had, no matter how badly you want to." Strider remarked. "Besides, you can always settle this by asking Isolde."

All eyes turned to Isolde who was stretching, her back popping as she twisted. When she saw their looks, she raised an eyebrow. She hadn't been paying attention.

"What? Whatever it is, I didn't do it." she said.

"I highly doubt that, you guilty little shit." Strider said.

Isolde flipped him off much to his amusement.

"Isolde, will she be a problem?" Sabin asked.

"Not really, no. **She's** pretty timid." Isolde replied.

Between Strider's comment about Sabin not pressuring Ashlyn, and Isolde's promise that she wasn't going to be a threat to Ashlyn, Maddox couldnt' really argue with this anymore. Lucien would have agree simply because of Isolde's promise.

"We'll have to subdue her." Maddox said, eyes narrowing.

"No. I'll handle her." Sabin told him.

"Let Paris deal with her. He can finesee the cruelest of females into a good mood. You, not so much, and we clearly need this one in a perpetual good mood." Cameo told Sabin.

Isolde stretched again, her eyes drifting. She could hear Disaster faintly, on the edge of her senses, nagging Kane to find her and bring her back. Poor Kane had to be suffering with that constant nagging in his ears. She couldn't leave him to suffer like that.

"Well I'm taking your order, this once, and am leaving. Disaster is about to drive poor Kane up the wall." Isolde said, turning and leaving the chamber.

The others finally followed, taking the other women with them. Isolde returned to where Reyes and Kane were watching over their other prisoners and Lucien's body. Kane looked up as she stepped out of the hall and Disaster let out a cheer.

"I could hear Disaster nagging your ear off, all the way down in the chamber." Isolde said, as he raised an eyebrow at her.

Kane rubbed the back of his neck. Reyes shook his head from where he still sat against one wall. Lucien was slumped against one wall, his body nothing but an empty shell at the moment.

"It really likes you." Kane remarked.

"So I've noticed."

Isolde looked past Kane at Reyes.

"How you doing over there?" she asked.

"Much better without dust flying up every few second because his demon is throwing a fit." Reyes replied, waving a hand at Kane.

"He can't help what Disaster does no more than you can help what Pain does." Isolde said in defense.

Reyes held his hands up in surrender under the intense glare from Isolde. Kane gave Isolde a small smile, thankful for her defense.

"Are they done in there yet?" Kane asked.

"Just about."

Sabin was going to have his hands full and the thought put a grin on Isolde's face. Gwen, herself, was a handful. When her sisters showed up, it was going to be even more so. Isolde was looking forward to that greatly.

-0-0-0-0-

When the others finally had rejoined them, Sabin towing Gwen along, they left and made their camp. Isolde made sure her tent was pitched next to Kane to miminize the damage done by Disaster. Then, dragging her pack with her, she went in search of Sabin's tent. She found Gwen alone, Sabin having gone with Lucien to their rent house in Cario. The other woman looked up at her as she swept aside the tent flap and walked inside. Silently Isolde walked over to Gwen and sat down, pulling her bag off her back and dropping it into her lap.

Gwen silently watched as Isolde unclipped the flap on the bag and opened it. Isolde dug inside, pulling out a can of her favorite Peace Tea, a bottle of water, a box of chocolate Pocky, and a turkey, lettauce, tomatoe, and pickle sandwich she had thrown together. She sat those before her and then sat her bag aside before looking Gwen in the face.

"Alright, you talk to me, give me someone to talk to and answer whatever questions I have, and you'll earn this food." she told Gwen, a smile on her face.

Gwen's eyes came up in surprise. Isolde gave her a wink.

"We have a deal?" Isolde asked, as she opened the box of pocky and waved one of the chocolate covered sticks in her face.

Gwen nodded eagerly. Isolde nodded, popping the Pocky in to her mouth before picking up the sandwich.

"Alright then. You'll have to actually talk though. I'm rather bored at the moment and don't have anyone to talk to. The others are all busy." Isolde said.

"And you aren't busy?" Gwen asked.

Isolde shook her head.

"Daddy doesn't let his little princess do anything on her own either, despite that fact that I'm a grown woman." Isolde said.

She shrugged her shoulders, though Gwen had no idea who she was talking about.

"Oh yeah, I should probably introduce myself. I'm Isolde. Lucien, the big guy with two different colored eyes, is my father." Isolde told her, gesturing to her eyes as she spoke.

Gwen's jaw dropped. Seriously!? Lucien didn't look any older than maybe thirty something. Isolde was young but she wasn't young enough to pass as Lucien's real daughter. Isolde laughed when she saw the look on Gwen's face, almost dropping the pocky she had been nibbling on.

"He's my adoptive father! Him and his woman adopted me." Isolde told her. "But the others are like siblings to me."

Gwen shook her head in confusion. How Isolde kept any of that straight in her own head was beyond her.

"Well, I'm-"

"Gwendolyn the Timid. I know. Nice to meet you, Gwen." Isolde said with a smile.

"How did you know?" Gwen asked.

"Well, you see, I'm not human...anymore. One of the abilities I have is knowledge of the past, present, and future of those I come in contact with." Isolde told her.

Someone who knew everything about her past and future. It was a scary thought. Isolde was quick to assure her that she wouldn't share anything she didn't want her too. And it also explained how Isolde had known that Gwen couldn't eat unless she had earned the food or stolen it.

"Here. So far, you've earned this. Eat slowly though." Isolde said, handing Gwen the sandwich.

Gwen ripped off the wrapping, taking a hearty bite. Isolde was content enough to sit back and watch her eat the food. When she finished, Gwen heaved a content sigh. Isolde held up the bottled water next.

"Anyway, don't worry about me and my knowledge. I'm the least of your problems, I swear." Isolde told her.

"You mean Sabin?" Gwen asked.

"Sabin, despite how much of a douche bag he can be, isn't really all that bad. He's really a big, old softie beneath that hardened shell of his. He acts all big and bad-and don't get me wrong, he can be big and bad-but he's not half as bad as he pretends. He's just a dick." Isolde replied, giving Gwen a wink. "Then again, if you listen to him, I'm a bitch."

"You make that sound like a good thing." Gwen remarked.

"Depends on who you ask."

Gwen wasn't sure how to take any of that. Isolde seemed nice enough, and harmless compared to the others, but Gwen couldn't forget the blood covered, torn state Isolde had been in when she had first seen her. The cuts and bruises had healed already, but the image was a clear one. Gwen doubted Isolde was as harmless as she looked.

"Anyway, don't sweat Sabin too much. He just doesn't really know how to handle someone like you. He'll figure it out sooner or later." Isolde told her.

She handed over the water, claiming Gwen had earned it. Gwen gratefully drank it down. Isolde opened her Peace Tea, drinking it as she watched. Once the water and sandwich were completely gone, Isolde smiled.

"Feeling any better?" she asked.

"A little, yes. Thank you."

Isolde waved it off as she chewed on another piece of pocky.

"You earned the food. With the others busy and not around, and my daddy limiting what I can do out here, I get bored easily. It's nice to have another girl to talk to. Cameo's the only other one here and she's busy too." Isolde told her.

"Can I ask you a question?" Gwen asked.

"Go ahead."

"You said you were once human? What happened?"

Isolde heaved a sigh, leaning back on her hands, before reaching up to scratch one cheek in a thoughtful look.

"That's kind of confusing. Even for me. One day I was driving to the store one morning, minding my own business. Someone ran a red light and hit my car. I suddenly felt like I was falling and crashing through things. When I woke up, I was in the house of my daddy and the five friends he was living with at the time. It turns out I had fallen right through their ceiling. I don't know how I got there, but all of my injuries healed ten times faster than they should of and I started developing powers. I'm not sure how it happened, and I'm not really worried about it. My life before was sucky and I love my life now. So you won't hear me complaining." Isolde explained.

"And your real family?" Gwen asked.

"Don't have one. I was alone before arriving here."

Isolde didn't seem too sad about the change in her life. It made Gwen feel bad for her, having been alone before finding her place with her adoptive father and his friends. It also made her envious of her for finding that place. Isolde smiled at her, like she could read Gwen's thoughts.

"Don't worry too much, Gwen. Things have a weird way of working themselves out." she told her, giving her a wink.

Isolde twisted around then, as if she had heard something, but Gwen couldn't hear anything at all.

"I best get going. Sabin will be back soon. You'll be fine, so hold that chin up. Okay?" Isolde told her, getting to her feet, taking the trash and her food with her.

She gave Gwen a wave and vanished out of the tent. Gwen had to admit, she liked Isolde. She didn't see why Sabin thought she was a bitch. Maybe it was a teasing, playful thing. She had a feeling she couldn't ask Sabin. At least she knew she'd have a friend in Isolde.

-0-0-0-0-

"You okay?"

Gwen looked up as Strider dropped into the seat next to her.

The last few days had been tough. Isolde had come by to talk to her whenever Sabin wasn't around, letting Gwen earn a few snacks here and there, though it wasn't anything great. Then there had been the whole laughable event with the Twinkies. Her stomach still hadn't recovered from throwing those up. And now they were on a private jet heading to Budapest, Hungry.

"You're pale. You need to eat." Strider remarked, offering her some of his Red Hots.

"No thanks. I'm fine." she replied.

"You sure? These are small, but they pack a hell of a punch." he told her, popping a few into his own mouth.

What was it with this weird, family-like group and their junk food? First Isolde with her chocolate Pocky, then Sabin with the Twinkies, and now Strider with his Red Hots. Did all of them have some kind of junk food kick? Thinking of the first two, Gwen's eyes sought them out. Sabin was reclining in a chair across from her, sleeping.

Her eyes traveled to Isolde next.

The girl was constantly hopping seats. One moment she was between Amun and Paris, where she would recline against Paris, who welcomed her readily, and prop her legs up in Amun's lap. Neither had a problem with it and seemed to welcome contact for it seemed to ease them. The next moment she was next to Aeron, managing to coax the large man into playing some kind of childish hand game. At the moment she was leaning into Amun's side, feircely scribbling in a journal. Paris was idly playing with her hair, but she didn't seem to notice one bit. Now and then, she would pause to rub at her temples or to press fingers into her closed eyes. It was at moments like that that Amun seemed to feel a little better, almost like the two were sharing pain.

"Gwendolyn?"

Gwen's attention snapped back to Strider, turning away from Isolde.

"Yes?"

"Lost you again." he told her.

"Oh, sorry."

"I know you won't eat, but are you thirsty? Would you like something to drink?" Strider asked.

"No, thanks."

"At least accept a bottle of water. It's capped, so you don't have to worry that we've done something to it." he told her.

"Actually you can take a needle to the neck of the bottle and no one would ever know." Isolde replied, popping up beside Strider.

"Isolde!" Strider said, hitting her in the side.

Gwen winced since Strider hadn't tried to be gentle. To her surprise though, Isolde doubled up her fist and hit him right back, hard in the shoulder.

"What? I'm being honest. But it's not like any of you have the balls to do it knowing she's under Sabin's care and he'd kill you for it." Isolde repiled.

"He wouldn't kill us for it." Strider repiled.

"Correction...he'd gut you first."

Strider turned a little pale at the thought. Isolde gave Gwen a wink and continued on her way to the bathroom.

"Maybe later for the drink." Gwen told Strider.

Strider couldn't blame her after Isolde had to make comments like that, though it really had nothing to do with what Isolde said.

"Your loss."

Gwen decided to take the chance to ask Strider some questions.

"Why are we flying? I saw the one called Lucien disappear with the other women. We could have reached Budapest in seconds."

"Some of us don't handle flashing all that well." he answered.

"So some of you are babies?"

"Something like that, though Sabin, Reyes, and Paris prefer to think they catch a virus whenever they're flashed somewhere." Strider told her with a laugh, lowering his voice. "Isolde can travel from one place to another in the blink of an eye too, you know. Using the shadows. She's only recently started using it with other people and some of us don't handle that too well either. It's kind of a creepy feeling, being lost in shadows."

"If she can do that, then why is she here?" Gwen asked.

"Since she knows the future, whenever she knows one of our lives is about to get more interesting than the others', she decides to stick to our sides like glue. Sabin likes to say that its for her own personal amusement, but I know it's so she can offer whatever help she can. Though I don't doubt she gets a few laughs here and there." Strider told her.

He leaned back in his seat, falling quiet as Isolde reappeared from the bathroom. She walked past them, unfazed by the rocking and bumps of the plane, and dropped to sit between Paris and Amun. She picked up her pencil and journal as she leaned back into Paris's side and draped her legs over Amun's lap. Strider lowered his voice when he started speaking again.

"Though lately, that choice of hers is tearing her a bit apart." Strider told her.

"Why?" Gwen asked.

"Well lately, Isolde has been joined at the hip with my man, Kane. She hardly ever leaves his side, even moved her bedroom next to his. But recently she's glued herself to Sabin's side, knowing his life is about to get a little more interesting. Some times, like right this instant, that means she can't be with Kane." Strider told her.

Gwen's eyes went to Isodle as she stretched, sprawling out in Paris' lap. The man gave her a small smile and started running a hand through her hair.

"Is she going out with Kane?" Gwen asked in concern.

"Who knows. They've never said anything, though he does spend a lot of time with her. And before you ask, Paris and Isolde don't have a thing going on. Their more like a big brother with a little sister complex and a spoiled ass little sister. Those two are always that close." Strider told her, seeing where her eyes were. "See, watch. Hey you two, get a room!"

Isolde's and Paris' reply to the comment? Both of them flipped Strider off without even looking at him. Strider grinned.

"See. Almost like they were raised together." he told Gwen.

His laughter faded and he turned to look Gwen over.

"You know, you're different than I expected." he told her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well...wait, will what I say offend you?"

"No."

Strider looked her over once more, probably wondering if he should risk it. Finally he nodded and continued what he was saying.

"I think I've said this before, but from what little I know, Harpies are hideous creatures with misshapen faces, sharp beaks, and the lower half of a bird. They're spiteful and pitiless. You...you're none of those things." he told her.

"We have a bad rap, that's all."

"No, it's more than that."

"Humans place a negative connotation on everything they cannot understand. In their minds, good always conquers evil, so anything stronger than they are is evil. And evil is, of course, ugly." Gwen replied.

"Very true. You kind of sound like Isolde when she gets on her wisdom kicks." Strider replied.

Now was the time to see what she really could figure out.

"I know you are immortal, like me, ut I haven't figured out exactly what you are." she remarked.

Strider shifted in his seat, looking at his friends. Everyone looked away, though Isolde shook her head, her eyes focused on her writing. Strider heaved a sigh.

"To start with, what we are, Isolde isn't." he told her.

Gwen's eyes went to the girl. She had figured that out, since Isolde had said she had once been human.

"Isolde was once human, but what she is now, none of us know. She doesn't even know, herself." Strider told her. "As for us...We were once soldiers for the gods."

"But what-"

"How old are you?" Strider asked, cutting her off.

Gwen considered if she should answer and finally decided it was alright.

"Twenty-seven."

"Twenty-seven hundred years, right?" Strider asked confused.

"No. Just twenty-seven plain, ordinary years." Gwen answered.

"You don't mean human years, do you?"

"No. I mean dog years. What's so hard to believe about my age? Do I look ancient?" Gwen asked.

"Consider your answer carefully, Strider." Isolde called from her seat.

Strider shot Isolde a look, but she wasn't looking at him.

"No, no. Of course not. But you're immortal. Powerful." Strider remarked.

"What he means, is he can't believe you can kick his ass and are a baby considering how much of an old geazer he is." Isolde told her, twisting enough to look over at Gwen.

Paris gave her hair a light tug, drawing her attention to him.

"Have you forgotten we're the same age as him?" Paris asked.

Isolde grinned at him.

"That won't stop her from kicking your ass if she has too. And have you all forgotten that I'm younger than her and I've taken chunks out of most of you before?" Isolde asked.

All of the males listening blanched at the reminder and the subject was dropped. With a nod at a job well done, Isolde went back to writing.

"Are all Harpies as young as you?" Strider asked.

"Gee, Strider, that's like asking if all immortal soliders are as stupid as you or if all immortals have to wear women's make-up like Gideon." Isolde remarked.

Gideon and Strider both flipped her off and Isolde returned the gesture. The grin on her face showed she was just joking around.

"No. My three sisters are quite a bit older. Prettier and stronger, too. They wouldn't have been captured. No one can make them do anything they don't want. Nothing scares them." Gwen answered, actually growing use to the random arguements and smart remarks from Isolde.

Isolde snorted then, making Gwen look at her in questioning. Isolde pushed herself up into a sitting position, dropping her journal in her lap.

"No offense, honey, but I know your sisters. They're not as big and bad as you make them out to be. Believe me when I say everyone, and I do mean **everyone** , has a weakness. Or even a couple of them. I know your sisters' stories better than most. So weaker than them? They wouldn't be captured? You really aren't giving yourself enough credit. Everyone has something that'll bring them down. A fear or weakness. Even that sleeping jackass over there." Isolde told her, waving a hand in Sabin's direction before sprawling back out and picking up her writing.

Gwen stared in surprise. Strider hadn't been kidding when he said Isolde had her own "wisdom kicks". And she was suppose to be younger than her? It made Gwen wonder what Isolde had seen to install such insight in her.

"Hell you should see half the things these guys fear." Isolde added, waving a hand above her to indicate the men around them.

Strider rolled his eyes and Paris gave her hair another tug while Aeron grumbled to himself. Gwen was amazed to see how at ease Isolde was with the men. She had no fear of them, no problem taking anything they dished out. Thinking about that, Gwen turned her attention to Sabin. She wondered how Isolde interacted with Sabin.

"I have a question." Gwen said to Strider, lowering her voice so only he could hear.

Strider looked down at her, leaning closer to hear her.

"What's the relationship between Isolde and Sabin? The way she talked one time, it doesn't seem like a good one." Gwen said.

"Oh, that's a tough one. Most of us are on good ground with Isolde. Once you really get to know her, it's kind of hard not to like her. That smart ass mouth of hers is pretty funny. And she's a great cook too. But Sabin...he's not exactly on good terms with her. He doesn't like how much she knows, though that knowledge isn't her fault. Because of that, he more distant, distrustful of her, and kind of mean. It hurts Isolde, though she won't admit it, and in return, she's a bitch to him. Kind of a brother-sister fued that never ends." Strider told her, keeping his voice low.

Gwen's eyes went to Isolde and then to Sabin where they stuck.

"You do that a lot." Strider said after a while.

"What?" Gwen asked.

"Watch Sabin. Are you interested in him?"

"Of course not!"

"I think you are." Strider said with a chuckle. "And guess what? I've known him for thousands of years, so I've got dirt."

"So."

"So. I don't mind spilling. I mean, I'd be acting as a friend to both of you if I changed your mind about him." Strider told her.

"Oh, no. If you want dirt, Gwen, then I can give it to you." Isolde said, sitting up. "Strider might have known him for thousands of years, but I know everything right down to the very thoughts in his head. If you want dirt to change your mind, I'm the one to go to."

Gwen blanched at the idea of knowing the thoughts is others' head. Especially Sabin's. And that Isolde knew it? No wonder Sabin didn't trust what she knew and didn't know. She wouldn't want someone knowing every thought in her head either.

"I want nothing to do with him, I assure you." Gwen said.

"Then you won't care if I leave you without telling you what I know and make sure Isolde doesn't spill either." Strider said, pushing to his feet.

Gwen quickly yanked him back down, putting a grin on Isolde's face.

"Wait. Tell me." Gwen said, releasing him.

"Anything particular you'd like to know?" Strider asked.

"Why is he so...distant? I mean, is he like that with everyone or am I just a lucky girl?" Gwen asked.

Isolde let out a curt laugh.

"Feel lucky that he's only distant with you. Its better than him being a jackass to you." Isolde replied.

"Don't worry. It's not you. He's like that with all females. He has to be. See, his demon is-"

Isolde threw one of her shoes at him, and Strider had to duck to miss getting a steel toed, heeled boot to the face. It was almost as if she had been waiting for just that moment.

"Strider!" Isolde scolded.

"Demon? Did you just say demon?" Gwen asked.

"Oh, uh...did I say that? No, no. I think I said seaman." Strider said helplessely.

Isolde slapped a hand to her face. It seemed she had a reason for calling Strider an idiot.

"No, you said demons. Demons. Demons and Hunters and that butterfly tattoo. I should have guessed the moment I saw that tattoo, but you seemed so nice. I mean, you didn't hurt me, and thousands of people have butterfly tattoos." Gwen said, jumping to her feet and backing away. "I-I get it now. You're the Lords, aren't you? Immortal warriors the gods banished to earth. M-my sisters told me bedtime stories about your evils and conquests."

"Gwen, clam down. Please." Strider told her.

"You killed Pandora. An innocent woman. You burned ancient Greece to the ground, filling the streets with blood and screams. you tortured men, removed their limbs while they still lived." Gwen ranted.

"Those men deserved it. They killed our friend. Tried to kill us." Strider told her, his expression hardening.

Isolde sat up fully, watching from her seat and getting ready to cover her ears. She knew what was coming next.

"If she screams, wonderful things are going to happen. Don't try and knock her out, and I won't help, okay?" Gideon said, stepping up to Strider's side.

"Wait. Before we do any manhandling and maybe lose our throats, let's try something else. Paris! You're needed." Strider called.

Paris rose to his feet, approaching Gwen. Sabin popped to his feet too. Isolde calmly reached up and covered her ears firmly.

"Gwen. Let's talk about-" Sabin started.

"Demons...all around me."

With that, Gwen screamed, long and loudly. The plane shuddered and started to drop out of the sky. Isolde braced her feet, managing to keep herself in her seat, calmly remaining in place, her hands over her ears. Sabin knew they would be alright, or Isolde would have already gotten them out of there. She wouldn't be so calm.

"You have to stop screaming, Gwen." Sabin said, trying to get her to stop.

"Shut her up, Sabin. My fucking ears are bleeding. No wonder Isolde covered her ears." came a sharp retort from one of the others.

"Not helping, asshole. Gwendolyn, you have to calm down or you'll hurt us. Do you want to hurt us, darling? Do you want to kill us after we saved you, sheltered you? We might harbor demons, but we aren't evil. I think we've proven that to you. Did we not treat you and the others better than your captors? Have I touched you in anger? Forced myself on you? No. And Isolde isn't like us. She doesn't harbor a demon, is innocent of our past crimes. Would you harm an innocent?" Sabin coaxed.

Gwen tried to think logically. If she kept this up the Harpy would get free and go on a rampage. It would kill the pilot, even Isolde. If what Sabin had said was true, Isolde was innocent, wasn't like them. And she had been nothing but kind to Gwen. And Sabin was right. She had alive and well, not even a scratch gained in her time with them. And then she could also end up killing herself too.

Logic won out and calm washed over Gwen. Her screams faded and the plane leveled out. Everything went quiet and Isolde finally peeled her hands away from her ears and went back to writing as if nothing had ever happened.

"That's a good girl. Now back off, guys. I've got her." Sabin told the others.

The others backed off, keeping an eye on Gwen as they moved away. Sabin had his hands raised, palms out as if he was still trying to calm her. Isolde peered over at them, but she was sure Sabin could take care of this. Isolde returned to her writing, ignoring the others as they spoke. She didn't show it, but the plane starting to fall out of the sky had scared her more than she thought it would. Her heart beat was still near stroke levels even now. Paris dropped back into his seat beside her and Isolde leaned into his side.

Maybe dealing with Gwen was going to be more of a heart attack waiting to happen than she thought it would be.


	27. Hard To Trust

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I am back, once again, with some more chapters for you. I hope to have four more chapters up before I head off to bed tonight. And I am sure you are all ready to read, so I will not draw this out. Please enjoy and review. I live for your reviews, people. They give me confidence to continue writing. So please review. I do not own Lords of the Underworld or any of its characters.

Chapter 27 Hard To Trust

When they finally arrived home, the first one to fly out of the car and up the steps, forgetting his bag altogether, was Maddox. Ashlyn met him, flying out the door, swollen belly and all, to leap into his arms. Reyes was next, scooping up Danika on his way, the two vanishing inside. Isolde hopped out of the car, yanking her bag out of the mix of bags packed in the back.

"Come." Sabin called to Gwen.

"Those women..." Gwen started.

"Are happy. Had they not been so eager to be reunited with their men, they would have greeted you personally." Sabin assured her.

"Do they know...?"

"Oh, yes. They know their men are possessed by demons. Now come." Sabin told her.

"It doesn't matter to them. Or me, for that matter." Isolde said, appearing beside Gwen, bag in hand.

She smiled at Gwen when she looked at her. Sabin had assured Gwen that the butterflies on Isolde were just normal tattoos. Something Isolde liked getting to mark major events in her life. Mostly, he told her, marking times when she survived an injury that would have previously killed her. Isolde really wasn't one of them and had chosen to stay with the men even knowing all they had done, do, and would do.

"Love is love, Gwen. And they are so madly in love that it doesn't matter to them what the other person is. You'll understand some day." Isolde told her with a wink.

Then Isolde perked up, her eyes going up towards the upstairs windows, like she had heard someone call her name.

"Looks like I'm being called. Welcome to our home, Gwendolyn." Isolde told Gwen before taking off for the front door.

Half way to the door, the girl was swallowed by shadows, vanishing without a trace, leaving a shocked Gwen behind. Isolde took soild form once more, sitting on the edge of Kane's bed. She peered down at the man laying there, his hands pressed to his face as his demon nagged him none stop.

"Hey there, stranger. I heard my name being called." she greeted, crossing her legs and propping one elbow on the top knee to drop her chin in the hand.

Kane would have jolted if he hadn't known it was her there. He removed his hands as his demon gave a cheer and looked at her.

"You don't have to automatically come to my side each time it has a fit without you. You have your own life." he told her.

"Yeah? Well, my life is mine to do with as I see fit and I happen to see fit to do exactly this. You and your little monster have grown on me." Isolde told him, giving him a smile as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, leaning back against the headboard.

"Wouldn't you prefer to spend your time home with the girls?" he asked.

"All of the girls are...well **busy**. That's not an activity I have an interest in. What? Is this your round-about way of trying to run me off?" Isolde asked.

"No. It's just not...fair of me to take all of your time like this."

Isolde's next smile was soft, fond in appearance. No one had ever thought her time so valuable as Kane. It was kind of sweet the way he considered her. She knew she had always liked the man. Kane stared in surprise at the look.

"Don't worry about it, Kane. There's nothing more important to me than someone I care for. I'd drop anything if you needed me." she told him, managing to shock him further.

He knew Isolde was ready to do whatever she could to help any of them, but to actually hear the words out of her mouth was surprising. Mostly it was because whenever he had imagined hearing such words from a woman, he had always imagined it coming from the woman he loved. To hear the words fall so easily from Isolde's lips was a surprise.

"And it's about all I can do for you. Like you said, your demon likes me for some strange reason. My time is the least I can give you." she added, leaning back on her hands. "So, feel free to thank me."

"You're starting to sound like Anya." he remarked.

"I've noticed."

"And I thought you were sticking to Sabin at the moment. That's why you took the jet home."

"Yeah well, right about now, Sabin is enduring a round of twenty questions from his little Harpy charge. Then he'll be joining Paris and Aeron in the dungeon to deal with Hunters." Isolde said, flopping back to lay across Kane's legs. "You can hear the screams in the halls."

Kane knew for a fact that while Isolde hated what the Hunters were doing to them, hated them with every fiber of her being for threatening what she called hers, and would kill them without hesitation...she wasn't a fan of torture. It was such a hypocritical contradiction that Sabin would have laughed in her face, but Kane thought it showed just how pure her heart was deep down. She couldn't bring herself to torture another living being, no matter what they did.

Or at least she had never been driven that far.

"You wouldn't survive in hell." Kane told her.

"Hopefully I'll never have to find out." she retorted.

Kane smiled, watching her as she stared at his ceiling. Then she lift one of her hands to stare at it, a thoughtful look on her face.

"You know, when I was little, I never thought I'd make it to twenty. Now I'm immortal and am suppose to out live generations of people around me? Do you know how strange that is?" she mused before closing her eyes and dropping her hand. "What am I talking about, of course you don't. You've always been immortal."

Kane watched her as she heaved a sigh. Was it him or did he hear longing in that one little sound? Longing for what though?

"Was life as a human really that bad?" he asked.

Usually she didn't share about her past, and, respecting her, he didn't ask. From the look in those two-toned eyes of hers the few times she had ever said anything, her memories weren't good ones and he didn't want to be the one to force her to relive them.

"Sometimes, on rare, sunny days, it wasn't all that bad. I could almost pretend I was a normal little girl without a care in the world. But somehow, someway, those evils always came back. I could never out run those dark thoughts for long. But there were moments when it was...nice. They were very rare though." Isolde told him.

"What do you remember of those rare days?" he asked.

A small, fond smile curved her lips as she thought back. Those few rare, happy days came back to her, replaying in her head.

"There were some days, when it was sunny and warm, that I could get away from my house. I would sneak food from the kitchen and spend all day out in a meadow about half a day's walk from my house. The flowers were always so beautiful and the mixed smell of them when the wind blew through the field is still locked in my memory. I had built a makeshift shelter among the trees, so even if it rained, I could stay out there and stay dry. Most of the time I would lay in the middle of the field and just soak up the sun. It was nice to just have that moment of peace and tranquility." Isolde remarked, a fond, longing smile on her face.

"Something you don't have here anymore." Kane retorted.

Isolde laughed, her whole face lighting up with amusement where usually only her eyes showed the emotion.

"I think the chaos of our lives has a peace and tranquility of it's own. All of the fighting and trouble really makes me appreciate those small, quiet moments with all of you. Like right now. Like I said, it's just nice to have a moment of peace and tranquility."she replied.

Isolde rolled onto her side, facing him. She laid her check on his leg, looking relaxed laying there and content not to move.

"What about you? What fond memories do you have from the heavens?" she asked.

"Wouldn't you already know that?"

"Humor me and tell me from your prespective. I'd like to at least act like I'm normal and don't know a thing." she replied.

Kane smiled at her and leaned back against the headboard, thinking back to those days before they made the biggest mistake of their lives. What could he really tell her?

"I suppose my fondest memories were of how everyone was before. So relaxed, so much more..."

Kane struggled for a word to fit how his friends use to be. Isolde though, didn't have a single problem supplying a word that fit pretty well given how Reyes use to love to pull pranks.

"Immature?"

Kane looked down at Isolde, raising an eyebrow. Isolde smiled back at him, fluttering her eyelashes at him in the most innocent look she could manage.

"If anyone ask, I will deny I agreed with you." he told her.

"Don't worry. I won't rat you out." she told him.

Kane was about to open his mouth and say something else when the door to his room opened. He looked up, Isolde rolling in his lap again to face the door. There stood Anya with a blushing Gwen at her side.

"Yo, Mama!" Isolde greeted with a wave. "Hey, Gwen."

Gwen waved, too embarrassed to say anything. Isolde was draped across the lap of a man, so relaxed and comfortable with the close contact behind closed doors, that Gwen just knew this man had to be Kane. He looked just as comfortable as Isolde, idly twirling a piece of Isolde's hair in his fingers. Gwen looked from Isolde to Anya when Isolde addressed the goddess as her mother. She was just starting to think that there wasn't anything in common between the two's appearance when she remembered that Isolde had said Anya and her man, Lucien, were her adoptive parents.

"Hey you two. Having fun?" Anya asked, a teasing smirk on her face.

Isolde stretched out even more, rolling on to her back, so that she was square in Kane's lap. Kane glanced down at her, arching an eyebrow in questioning, but Isolde just smiled at him.

"Just...enjoying some **alone** time. Its so noisy in other parts of the house." Isolde replied.

Kane didn't argue with her. He knew Isolde was just teasing. They were no more a thing than her and Paris. Not that Kane was complaining about his relationship with Isolde. The girl was a good, close friend, and he certainly enjoyed her company.

"Oh, well sor-ry for interrupting you." Anya sang, rolling her eyes. "I was just giving Gwen here a tour."

"Well you've seen just about all there is to see in this room. And try knocking, you abominable tramp." Isolde said, a grin on her face.

"Oh! Oh! Is that how you want to play it? Fine then, you vexing bitch!" Anya replied, a smile on her face too.

"Well thank you for the compliment." Isolde retorted.

Anya danced on the spot, ruffling her hair in annoyance that Isolde had gotten one up on her. Isolde grinned and waved a hand at Anya, silently telling her to shoo.

"I will get you." Anya promised.

"Sure. And I'll have Daddy spank you for the effort." Isolde retorted.

Anya flicked her hair over her shoulder, blowing that off.

"Come on, Gwen. Let's go before they start to strip." Anya said, thinking to get to Isolde.

Isolde sat up, grabbing the hem of her shirt like she was about to yank it over her head. She cocked an eyebrow in challenge when Gwen turned red and covered her eyes. Anya huffed and dragged Gwen away, yanking the door close. Isolde grinned as she released the hem of her shirt.

"Would you really have stripped if Anya hadn't backed down?" Kane asked.

Isolde turned to look at him.

"What? Do you want me to?" she asked.

Kane covered his embarrassment with a cough, looking away from Isolde. Isolde smiled at him, easily seeing through the cover up.

"Even if Anya hadn't backed down, she would have by the time I reached my underwear. Which, by the way, I have no problem prancing around in. My logic is, if what needs to be covered, is covered, than it doesn't matter what I wear or how much skin is showing." Isolde told him.

Logic that sounded a lot like Anya's. Kane wasn't going to make that comment though. He prized his head being exactly where it was...on his shoulders and not on a silver platter in front of Isolde.

"William, Strider, and Gideon would love that." Kane remarked.

Isolde scoffed, turning to throw her legs off the bed.

"The three of them can keep dreaming their wet dreams, because it's not going to happen. I know what their futures hold and I want no part of the chaos it'll bring." Isolde replied.

She pushed herself to her feet then and turned to offer Kane her hand.

"Come on, we're going out." she told him.

"Out? Where? Why?" he asked.

"You ask too many questions, my friend. It's noisy here, I want to go into town, but I'm not going to leave you and let Disaster wreck havoc on your room even more than he already has." Isolde told him, wiggling her fingers at him.

"What happened to sticking to Sabin?" he asked, accepting her hand anyway.

"Yeah well he's going to be busy for a while. Two words; shower and Gwen. Doesn't take a genius to put two and two together to make four." she told him, yanking him to his feet. "So for today, at least, I'm your's."

Disaster sent up a string of protests, grumbling in both of their heads at being left out of the equation.

"And Disaster's, since apparently, he can't be left out of fun." Isolde said.

Kane rubbed the back of his neck. Disaster was very vocal about his insistence of being apart of anything Kane did with Isolde. If Isolde was around, Disaster had to make sure they knew he was there. If Isolde wasn't around, Disaster insisted that Kane go find her. The worst part was...Isolde knew it too.

"Come on. What do you want to do? Bowling, movie, lunch out, hell I'd even make us a picnic and we can just hang out." Isolde said, leaving the choice up to him.

"That last one actually sounds pretty nice." he admitted.

"Alright. Than give me thirty minutes and I'll have us a lunch thrown together." Isolde said.

Isolde gave him a salute and vanished into her shadows. Disaster instantly complained, causing Kane to heave a sigh.

"We'll see her again in just a little while." he told the demon.

Now, the demon demanded.

"You really need to get over your obsession with her. She's not for us." Kane replied.

Mine!

Kane heaved another sigh as the demon whined. He knew, without a doubt, that he couldn't have Isolde. The girl was just as messed up, if not worse, than him. Not to mention that many of his friends would kill him for laying a hand on Isolde in that way. He had no doubt in his mind that Anya would gut him, hang him by his entrails, stuff him with candy, and let kids use him as a pinata. She wasn't really Isolde's mother, had only taken over the role a few months prior, but she was a very protective mother.

But Disaster wanted what he wanted and he wanted Isolde.

Kane showered, changing his clothes and weaponed up before heading down stairs. Only the fact that he was going to find Isolde kept Disaster from bringing the roof down on his head. By the time he reached the kitchen, Isolde had a wicker, picnic basket sitting on the counter and was folding up a blanket to tuck into the basket. Kane tried to peek inside but Isolde slapped his hand away. Kane raised an eyebrow at her as she tucked the blanket inside.

"You'll have to wait to see what I made." she told him.

"Fine." he agreed, picking up the basket.

"Good boy."

Kane looked down at Isolde, raising an eyebrow. Isolde just shooed him along, waving her hands at him. He turned and let her push him out of the kitchen and into the hall. Half way to the front door, William appeared. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at them.

"Are you two finally going on a date?" he asked with a grin.

"Are you finally going to take off that mask? Oh, I'm sorry...that's your face." Isolde retorted, pulling Kane past William.

William pouted at her.

"My face is amazing, thank you very much!" William told her.

"Cockiness is what got you caught with Zeus, my friend. Keep it up and next time you might lose more than just your ability to flash. Something a little more precious." Isolde called over her shoulder, waving a hand at him.

Kane glanced back in time to watch William sulk away. He was probably going to go tell Anya on Isolde. Not that it would do him any good. Anya would just applaud her daughter.

Kane and Isolde decided to leave the fortress on foot, making sure to avoid all traps as they made their way across the hill. A while back, while exploring the hill and the surrounding lands, Kane had found a small clearing that kind of fit the description of the meadow she had described to him. He led the way there and whenever Isolde asked where they were going, he merely told her she "would see". Isolde liked surprising people but when the surprising was turned on her...not so much.

"Seriously, Kane. Where are you taking me. We've been walking for nearly half an hour." Isolde finally called after the seventh time of tripping over a tree root.

Disaster, of course, was eating up every trip and crash to the ground she took. Kane was starting to think she was the one with the demon in her. Not him. To keep her from tripping, yet again, Kane reached back, taking her hand in his. He pulled her to his side, making sure she kept her feet.

"We're almost there, I promise." he told her.

Isolde heaved a sigh. She trusted him so she would keep going. Kane kept a hold of her hand, managing to keep her on her feet when she almost fell another three times.

"You really are accident prone." Kane remarked.

"I told you that, like, two months ago." Isolde retorted.

"It doesn't make you any less awesome than you already are." he assured her.

"Well, duh."

Kane looked back at Isolde, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You're starting to sound like Anya." he told her.

"Yeah, I heard it."

Kane came to a stop then.

"We're here." he told her, before pushing aside a low hanging branch, letting her go first.

"About ti...Oh my gods!"

Isolde froze, cutting off in mid sentence when she stepped past him and found herself in a meadow of little blue, yellow, and red flowers. Trees ringed the clearing, blocking it from view of the outside world. Above stretched the open sky. Just looking at it, her childhood came rushing back. Those rare days in that meadow, away from all of the pain and abuse of her normal life. It had only taken one description of the meadow for Kane to think of a place nearby that looked close to the same.

"I take it that it looks about the same." Kane said, stepping up next to her.

Shock made Isolde's eyes wide and she was biting on her lower lip. Her grip on his hand tightened, though he didn't think she noticed it.

"Yeah...it does."she said, looking around.

"Do you want to go sit down?" he asked when she didn't move from her spot.

Isolde idly nodded, as if she didn't even know she was doing it. When she still didn't move, he stepped forward, pulling her after him by the hand. Isolde followed him, her eyes darting around the clearing. He let go of her hand long enough to pull out the blanket and stretch it out on the ground. It took him sitting down and tugging her hand to get her to sit and then she almost sat on top of him.

"Are you really that shocked to find another meadow that looks the same?" he asked.

"No. It's just...the memories." Isolde said, reaching out to pluck a buttercup.

She lift the pink blossom to her nose to smell of it. Kane hadn't taken her as a flower person. He tried to remember if he had ever seen her with any flowers. She had vases in her room, but they were usually over flowing with pencils, pen, and highlighters, or were empty. He had never seen flowers in them before.

"Do you like flowers?" he asked, leaning back on a hand to watch her.

"Depends on the flower." she replied.

"What do you mean?"

"For example, I hate roses."

"Roses? I thought women loved them."

Isolde snorted, turning her eyes on him. He could see the amusement in her eyes. She was inwardly laughing at him.

"A sterotype made by men. Not all women like roses. Just like not all men like dogs. I hate roses. Their smell is too sweet and their horribly cliche." Isolde told him.

"Alright, so what kind of flower do you like?" Kane asked.

"Lilies. Tiger lilies mostly. And wildflowers. Nothing beats flowers someone had to take the time to go pick for you. To me, that shows more affection and love then just simply buying roses from a flower shop."

"I didn't take you for a romantic." Kane remarked

"I'm a writer, Kane. Not a romantic. There's a difference. I can't help it if something like that slips out of my mouth. I'm use to spinning words." she replied.

"Uh-huh."

Isolde turned a look on him that screamed "shut up". She couldn't help smiling back at her. Isolde rolled her eyes and reached out and stuffed the flower behind his ear. She grinned at him when he cocked an eyebrow at her.

Isolde turned to the basket then, unpacking the food. She had packed roast beef sandwiches packed to the bursting point with meat, potato salad, a baggie of washed green grapes, strawberries, and pineapple, two glasses with a thermes of ice tea, deviled eggs, and-to his amusement-a giant carton of cheddar cheese Goldfish.

"It only took you thirty minutes to make all of this?" he asked.

"I always keep some things prepared and ready to go not only for when I want to get out on my own, but when bottomless pits called warriors raid the kitchen." Isolde told him.

She had a point with the whole bottomless pit thing, but he wasn't going to admit it. As one of those warriors, he had his pride to think about.

"You've certainly learned how to cook to feed us all." he remarked gesturing to the over packed sandwich she had just placed on a paper plate for him.

"You guys burn through food faster than any human football team just after a game and while working in as a cook, I had to do that a lot. I guess it's because technically speaking, your feeding two." she replied.

Kane watched her dish out potato salad, deviled eggs, and fruit. She merely opened the carton of Goldfish and poured them tea.

"So you were a cook before coming to Buda?" he asked.

"Yeah. When I moved out of my parents' house, I completely left the country and went to America. Though I didn't go straight there. I bounced around Europe for a while. I had always been forced to stay in my house before that, like my parents didn't want anyone to know I existed so I had no skills. My mother wouldn't let me cook, afraid I'd eat more than I made, and the only thing I was really good for was for my father to take his anger out on. So when I moved out and finally found myself in Yorkshire, I realized...I had no fucking idea what to do." Isolde said.

Kane felt the moment of anger he always did when he heard her casually speak of her mistreatment at the hands of her parents, but that was replaced with an image of a young, alone Isolde in the English country side, trying to figure out what do with no skills to her name.

"So what did you do?" he asked.

"For a long while I did odd jobs for a little money here or a little food there. Mostly cleaning. It was about all I could do. But I couldn't do enough to keep myself fed and I finally collapsed from hunger one day. A nice old man found me and took me in. He had recently lost his granddaughter who had lived with him and let me stay in her old room. Of course I had to pull my own weight around the house. I did the cleaning since his old joints wouldn't let him do all the scrubbing and everything. He owned a restaurant next door and had me work there too. Everyday he would teach me a little more about cooking. He had me cooking like a pro in the matter of six months." Isolde explained.

"What happened to the old man?" Kane asked.

"Seven months after I came to live with him, he suddenly passed away from a heart attack. He had no family and when the his last will was read, he had left what little he had, to me. I wasn't able to keep the house or restaurant, and truthfully I wasn't sure that's where I wanted to stay the rest of my life. I sold that to a young couple who would take better care of it than me. But he left me a sizeable amount of money, a passport he had gotten for me, and this ring he had bought for me not long after I came to live with him." Isolde said, holding out her left hand to let Kane see the ring she never took off.

Kane took a hold of her hand, looking over the red stone and the twining butterflies and dragons etched into the metal. The stone didn't look like a ruby, or even garnet.

"Bloodstone?" he asked.

Isolde nodded as he released her hand.

"I took what money he left me and left for America. I used what money I had to find an apartment and cover the fist six months of rent. Then I went looking for work. Finding work given my newly acquired cooking skills was easy. Keeping the jobs given my personality was a different matter." Isolde told him.

"You got yourself fired a lot, didn't you?" he asked.

"Actually only a few times. The rest of the time I quit. I can't stand working for jerks. And I have a hard time tolerating idiots. As you've seen when it comes to Strider. And Gideon...and a few of the others." Isolde said with a shrug.

That put a smile on Kane's face. He had noticed that Isolde had strong opinions and when she deemed someone to be beneath her time, she wrote them off completely. That she hadn't completely wrote off Sabin showed that she actually saw some hope in the man. But that would take a lot of work. A whole lot of work.

"How did our conversations today end up all about me?" Isolde asked suddenly, pointing an accusing look his way.

"Because I'm curious and you like me?" he replied in a questioning manner.

Isolde scoffed. Her eyes narrowed.

"Liking you has nothing to do with the price of beans in China." she replied.

Kane gave her a slow smile, leaning back on his hands and putting on his best good boy face. Isolde's lips scrutched up to the right, her nose wrinkling, as if she was fighting off a puppy dog look or something along those lines. Disaster, sensing her internal fight, cackled in Kane's head. He apparently found this just as funny as Kane did. For once they agreed on something. Finally Isolde let out a noise of frustration.

"Fine! Whatever. But I'm not answering anymore questions about my past." she told him, reaching out and snagging one of his deviled eggs.

He let her, his smile edging on a grin. He really liked his time with Isolde. She was really amusing and talking to her, being around her, actually made him forget all his troubles. For a short while, but he'd take it. He knew he wasn't the only one who enjoyed having her around. Cameo, Paris, and even Aeron did and he was sure the others liked having her around as well.

"Alright. No past questions. Then I'll ask a present question. How's the book coming along?" he asked.

Isolde, who everyone knew was always writing, was actually writing a book. She let him read it as the chapters were completed, but she hadn't let him read any in a while now. Then again, they had all been pretty busy what with Hunters and the artifacts. So far the story was pretty good. It featured a young woman and her trails of supposedly dying and awaking in a new world full of monstrous creatures called fiends, and several other creatures of Isolde's creation.

Isolde, as always, perked up when he asked about the book.

"Actually I hit my second wind on the plane ride home from Egypt. I should finish the book soon." Isolde said proudly.

"You'll let me read more, right?" he asked.

"Of course. You're my beta reader after all."

As far as Kane knew, he was the only one allowed to read it. Isolde was rather self-conscious and insecure about her writing skills, despite him telling her she was good.

"What are you going to do with it when it's done?" he asked.

Isolde heaved a sigh and flopped back on the blanket to look up at the sky.

"I'm not sure. I'm not the best writer in the world so getting an agent to get it published would be nearly impossible. Not that I'm confident enough to share it with the world anyway." she told him.

"You're a good writer, Isolde. And how can you be confident in fighting and others things and so insecure with your writing?" he asked.

"Because kicking ass is easy. All I have to do is hurt others. No thoughts or emotions involved. Writing is different. To write realistic characters, I have to use my own thoughts and feelings. It a little more...personal. Of course I'm insecure." Isolde replied.

"So you hate pickles and think they look like shrivled up di-"

"Shut up, Kane. Just shut up." Isolde said, cutting him off when he tried to use an inside joke from the book she was writing.

Kane grinned as Isolde covered her face. Sometimes, she made it too easy to tease her. He wasn't as bad as some of the others with teasing her, but to see that adorable, flushed face...he couldn't help it.

At least he didn't do it all the time.

When Isolde finally uncovered her face, she had managed to get her blush under control. She gave him a hard glare.

"You aren't funny, you know." she told him tartly.

"You blushed, so I'll consider my job well done." he told her.

Isolde hit him hard in the arm.

"Jerk."

She had said it, but there was no heat behind the word so he knew she didn't mean it. They spent the rest of the day out there in the meadow, Isolde even dozing off for a short while, the wind blowing flower petals into her hair. Kane was content enough to sit there and watch her. When she slept, he couldn't imagine she could be as ruthless as she was in a fight. They seemed like two completely different people, but he knew they were the same person.

When they got back to the fortress, it was dark. Isolde retreated to her room with a yawn and a "good night" over her shoulder. She showered and slipped into her sleeping shirt before climbing into her bed. It had been a good day. One of those rare, relaxing days when she didn't have to worry about Hunters or anything else. A good day that made her ready for a good sleep come night fall.

She was asleep before her head ever touched her pillow.

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde was going to be pissed.

So pissed.

Morning found Sabin looking around the kitchen, Gwen just behind him. It looked like someone had dropped a bomb on the kitchen. He knew it was the result of the others trying to make their own dinner since Isolde had been out all day yesterday. But that didn't mean Isolde was going to be any less pissed off when she saw the kitchen. The kitchen was her domain. That they had destroyed it and hadn't bothered to clean it up, meant that heads were going to roll.

"Empty." Sabin said, checking the refrigerator.

"I'll be fine without food." Gwen replied.

"No. We'll go into town. After we cover you from head to toe." he told her.

"Make-up will take care of my face. And anyway, Anya brought you a tray...uh, what I mean to say is that I had food earlier." Gwen told him.

"One meal won't satisfy you forever. Besides, we can grab you some clothes that fit while we're out." Sabin told her, happy that Anya had managed to trick Gwen into eating.

Gwen perked up at the thought of having clothes of her own.

"Clothes? Of my very own?" she asked.

At the sight of her pleasure, Doubt decided to sink his claws into Gwen's confidence. He even used what had happened between them in the shower to get at her.

"Gwen. Those thoughts...I'm sorry. You won't owe me anything for the clothes. No one will." Sabin told her, promising Doubt he was going to get him.

Gwen eyes were already starting to go Harpy on him and he knew any second now she would explode. Sabin pulled her to him, hoping it would calm her as it had done on the plane. He managed to calm her, but it took actual physical contact.

"Good?" he asked.

"That depends. Have you put a muzzle on your friend?" she asked.

"Working on it. And as I've told you, the demon isn't my friend. He only shuts up when Isolde tells him too." he told her.

"Then I'm fine now, yes. And why does he only listen to Isolde? How can she even talk to it?" Gwen asked.

"Isolde is able to hear and talk to the demons. For some reason, they all like her and usually do as she tells them. Speaking of Isolde, if we're going to town for grocery shopping, we'll have to take her along." Sabin remarked, sourly, releasing Gwen to pull out his phone.

"Why?" Gwen asked.

"Isolde is the cook of the house. She usually does the shopping for dinner, while Paris does all the rest of the shopping. She'll be pissed if we don't take her. She's already going to be pissed when she sees the kitchen like this." Sabin said, hitting send on the message.

Not five minutes passed before shadows jumped away from the wall, spitting Isolde out. The girl looked like she had just rolled out of bed. Her hair was a mess of curls around her head and she wore nothing more than an over sized, black T-shirt that hung from one shoulder, showing off an orange butterfly tattoo that stretched over her left collar bone to her shoulder. She was rubbing at one eye as she yawned.

"You rang?" she asked.

Sabin threw his jacket at her, demanding she cover up. Isolde didn't even bother trying to catch the jacket or stop it. It hit her in the face, covering her head. For a moment she stood there like that before she slowly reached up and pulled the jacket from her head. She didn't look too pleased and the expression was the only warning Sabin got before she wadded up the jacket and threw it back at him.

"You better not have woke me up just to throw a jacket at me. Everything is covered so get over yourse...what the fuck happen to the kitchen!?" Isolde said, finally noticing the state of the kitchen.

"This is what happens when you leave all day and leave the others to do for themselves." Sabin told her.

Isolde shoved a hand into her hair, encountering tangles and grumbling to herself. She was going to kill the others, but not before she made them clean the kitchen spotless. They knew how OCD she was about the kitchen and hadn't bothered even trying to clean up their mess.

"Worry about killing the others later. Gwen and I are going to town to do some grocery shopping because there's nothing here. I know you would have killed me if you knew I had gone grocery shopping and hadn't taken you along." Sabin told her.

"Damn right. Give me fifteen minutes."

With that Isolde sank into the shadows, covering another yawn. Sabin borrowed make-up from one of the other females in the fortress and Gwen applied the make-up. Isolde was leaning against the car when they stepped outside. The girl's choice in clothes could almost be deemed scandalious to Gwen. Sabin barely noticed it.

She had pulled on a pair of form fitting, low slung, black jeans with black, heeled boots zipped up over them. With it she had paired a blue tube top designed to look like a she simply had a scarf tied around her chest and tied in the front. Add in a black bomber jacket, blue biker mitts, a pair of sunglasses, the weapons peeking out here and there, and the three butterfly tattoos showing and the girl looked like she was getting ready to have a brawl at a biker bar.

At least she had brushed her hair, her hair falling in semi curls around her.

She raised her head when the two of them neared her.

"Took you two a while. I had to kick a guest out of my bed and I still got out here quicker than you." Isolde remarked.

Gwen turned red as her thoughts went to when she and Anya had walked in on Kane and Isolde when they had been in his room talking. Was Kane her guest she had to kick out? Were they really in a relationship? Was that why Isolde had been in a men's T-shirt when she had come down stairs that morning?

"She's lying." Sabin told Gwen, giving Isolde a stern look.

Isolde grinned in return. She leaned forward, pulling her sunglasses down far enough to give Gwen a wink.

"No, I had a guest in my bed, but it wasn't a person. I left my window open and found a large spider in my bed. No need to blush so deeply just because you spent the night in someone's bed." she told her.

Gwen's face only grew a darker shade of red. Sabin gave Isolde a glare. Isolde just shrugged her shoulders at him.

"Doubt made it a point to gossip." Isolde told him.

Sabin slapped a hand to his face. The idea of his demon sharing his sexual exploits with Isolde was beyond mortifying.

"Just get in!" Sabin snapped, pointing to the car.

Isolde grinned with a job well done before slipping into the back seat. She had her legs stretched out on the seat, crossed at the knees by the time Sabin slid behind the wheel, Gwen sitting beside him in the front seat. As they drove, Sabin glanced in the rear mirror at Isolde.

"You agreed to come with us a little quick. Do you know something I don't?" Sabin asked Isolde.

"I always know something you don't. You have to be a little more particular." Isolde replied.

By particular, Isolde meant he had to ask a question that she could give an answer to. And those were hard to ask. Finding a question she could answer was next to impossible.

"Will there be trouble today?" he asked.

"There's always trouble. Look at what you had to call a meeting for." Isolde told him.

She had a point there. Sabin heaved a sigh. With his mind slipping back to Gwen every free second it had, he would never be able to concentrate on figuring out a question to ask Isolde.

"Just give us a heads up if there's any danger." he told her.

"Roger that." Isolde replied.

Gwen peered back in the back seat. She couldn't tell if Isolde's eyes were open. Not with the sunglasses.

"Why are you wearing those?" Gwen asked, pointing to her eyes.

"Paris and my father said it would be wise to wear them. We already stick out here and my eye color isn't exactly normal. They didn't want me drawing attention to myself." Isolde replied.

"It's not necessary anymore considering how the townspeople view us." Sabin retorted.

"I know that. But I get stared at enough without people looking at my eyes and deciding to stare at those. That just makes me uncomfortable." Isolde said.

Gwen looked between the two. She could see the bitch and jackass routine they had going with each other. Neither were too happy in the presence of the other. But in front of her, they seemed to be attempting to be somewhat decent with each other.

"You two don't like each other, do you?" Gwen asked suddenly.

Sabin scowled while Isolde adjusted her sunglasses, folding her arms across her chest.

"Talk to him about that one. Whatever beef there is between us is all because of him. **He's** the one that doesn't like **me**." Isolde said.

"I've told you a thousand times-"

Sabin cut himself off, his grip tightening on the wheel. It was obviously an old standing argument between the two. Gwen looked between the two as Sabin worked his jaw, trying to calm his temper with Isolde.

"I don't like what you know. It has nothing to do with you as a person." Sabin told Isolde, to which she snorted.

"You're an idiot if you actually believe that piece of bull shit." Isolde replied tartly.

"She has a point." Gwen said before she could think about it.

Sabin's eyes darted to her for a moment in surprise before returning to the road.

"From what I've been told, her knowledge is beyond her control. For you to treat her like this because of something she can't control...it's like treating you bad because you're an immortal warrior. Kind of makes you a hypocrite." Gwen told him.

"Something I've been trying to tell him since we met." Isolde muttered from the back seat.

Okay so Isolde had pretty much told him the same thing, but he couldn't just change how he felt about her knowledge. That would take time. And it would be next to impossible if Isolde was going to continue to be a bitch to him.

"Your attitude towards him isn't any better." Gwen told her.

Sabin wanted to grin then. Isolde pulled her sunglasses down far enough to look at Gwen over them.

"I'm well aware of that. It's second nature for me to be bitchy to someone who jerky to me right from the start. It's not a pleasant feeling to be disliked from the beginning because of something I can't control. I got enough of that from my real parents." Isolde replied, pushing the glasses back up before she sank in her seat.

Now Sabin felt like an asshole. They all knew a fraction of how Isolde's real parents had treated her. To be compared to them...Sabin felt like slime. Despite how much he didn't like certain things about Isolde's powers, it didn't give him the right to make her, even for a heartbeat, feel like she was back in her parents' house.

Gwen looked at Sabin and then back at Isolde. Perhaps, if Sabin could get past his hatred of Isolde's abilities, the two could be on somewhat good terms.

"It doesn't matter though. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, Gwen. Let him think what he wants." Isolde said suddenly, as if the whole thing didn't depress her.

Which Gwen could tell it did.

Gwen opened her mouth to say something, but Isolde sat up straight.

"Oh look, we're in town." Isolde said as a way of distraction.

And it worked. On Gwen at least. Gwen became too distracted with first the beauty of Budapest, and then with the hours of clothes shopping. Isolde kept her sunglasses on, even inside stores, and every now and then, she would glance around, as if keeping watch. Sabin had eyes only for Gwen. Isolde didn't seem to be having too much fun, so Gwen took it upon herself to try to change that. She took a hold of Isolde's hand and dragged her to the dressing room.

"What are you doing!?" Isolde asked as Gwen pushed her into the room ahead of her.

"You could probably use new clothes too." Gwen remarked, following her inside with an arm full of clothes.

"Not really." came Isolde's voice.

Sabin watched the changing room curtain, one eyebrow raised in curosity. Usually the only person Isolde would let dress her up, was Anya, and that was done grudgingly.

"Here try this!" came Gwen's voice from the other side of the curtain.

"What!? I don't do pink, Gwen! Hey! I like my clothes the way they are!"

Sabin couldn't help the grin on his face as he listened to Isolde's complaints. He watched as first Isolde's skin tight jeans and then her skimpy top and jacket, went flying out of the changing room to keep Isolde from yanking them back on. Her boots followed right after them.

"Hey! Give those back! What are you doing? Gwen? Hey! Don't touch that!"

It took all of his warrior instincts and training for Sabin not to crack up laughing. Isolde sounded so scandalized. How that was possible when most of what she wore barely hid what she had and should already make her feel scandalized, was beyond him.

"Done!" came Gwen's cheer of triumph.

Gwen walked out of the changing with a smile on her face, but when Isolde didn't follow, Gwen reached into the dressing room and yanked her out. Sabin had though she had seen Isolde in everything that could possibly look good on her.

But he was wrong.

Gwen, the little genius, had put Isolde in an empire waist, off the shoulder dress that was white at the chest and sleeves, and pink from the hot pink, ribbon, empire waist, down. It fell to her knees where a pair of black boots with pink, zebra print, fur cuffs, took over. Gwen had added a pink, ribbon choker with a bow on it for effect and had pulled Isolde's hair up into a high pony tail. The pale, shell pink of the dress looked good with Isolde's complexion and was such a change from what she normally wore, that Sabin was shocked into silence.

"What do you think?" Gwen asked him.

Isolde gave him a look that was both wary and a warning at the same time. One wrong word and she would gut him the next time she got the chance.

"Actually, it's not that bad. Not the usual clothes I see her in." Sabin remarked, crossing his arms as he looked her over.

"I hate pink." Isolde retorted.

"Why? It looks good on you!" Gwen protested.

Isolde didn't reply to that. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking uncomfortable in the dress. Sabin had an idea on why. Isolde wore the skimpy clothes, dressed as she did, switched from one punk rock style to another biker style, because then no one could pinpoint what she really liked and therefore, couldn't get any insight into who she really was. Cutesy outfits, flattering and bright colors, girly prints...things like that didn't sit well with a girl like Isolde who hid behind edgy looks and dark colors to keep others away.

"If I buy the outfit, can I change back?" Isolde asked, looking at Gwen.

Gwen huffed, her hands going to her hips. She thought she had done a good job. She had known, the moment she had seen Isolde, that the girl would look good in the girly, cutesy types of outfits too. But Isolde didn't seem to agree. But maybe...maybe she could get Isolde to buy some outfits like the dress.

"Only if you let me pick you out ten other outfits to buy too." Gwen told her.

"Two." Isolde argued.

"No! Eight."

"Five. No more." Isolde insisted.

"Oh fine." Gwen agreed.

Gwen didn't let Isolde touch her clothes until she had tried on each of the other five outfits she chose, and stood in front of the mirror. Sabin was sure Isolde was going to die of embarrassment by the time she got back into her clothes and they had paid for the clothes and moved on to grocery shopping.

"One word to the others about the outfits and I will be cooking your heart along with our dinner tonight." Isolde told Sabin when they left the clothing shop.

Sabin held his hands up in surrender. He wasn't going to start a fight with Isolde over something as stupid as clothes. Though he honestly hadn't seen anything wrong with any of the clothes Gwen had picked for her.

Sabin and Gwen tagged along behind Isolde, who had brought a list, Sabin pushing the cart as she loaded it with food. Now and then Sabin would make her stop to add some kind of junk food. Isolde didn't have a problem with it and even added a few other junk food options that some of the others had asked her to get. She topped off the cart with about thirty boxes of chocolate and strawberry Pocky and almost as many cans of Razzleberry Peace Tea.

Isolde noticed when Gwen's mood started going south and she knew why. She could hear Doubt going after Gwen, putting doubt after doubt in her head.

Was she sure she looked okay?

Did her breath smell bad?

How many women had Sabin been with?

How many were of those women were prettier, smarter, and braver than her?

Isolde rolled her eyes at the demon. He really couldn't leave poor Gwen alone for a minute. Soon even Gwen's Harpy was going to take it personally. As Isolde helped Sabin load groceries into the car, Gwen leaned against the car to watch.

"Your demon is very close to ruining my entire day." Gwen remarked.

"I know. I'm sorry. For the record, you look amazing, your breath is fresh, I haven't been with that many, and there are none prettier or smarter than you." Sabin told her.

"Even I'm getting a little tired of hearing him go after her." Isolde remarked.

Inwardly she snapped at the demon, telling him to shut up. Doubt instantly fell silent, cowaring in the back of Sabin's head. Sabin shot her a grateful look to which she just shrugged.

"Distract me. Tell me more about the artifacts you're looking for." Gwen said.

"That isn't something I can discuss out in the open like this." Sabin told her.

"You can tell me. I'm working for you now. I'm helping you find them." Gwen insisted.

"And I'll tell you about them. Later." Sabin told her, turning back to the bag.

He simply just threw them inside now and when he was about to do the same to the eggs, which would have cracked them, Isolde snagged the bag away from him with a glare.

"I'd like to be able to use the eggs when we get back. Not have you crack them now." she told him before turning to Gwen. "Gwen, you never know who might be listening in. Talking about it out here...it's not a smart idea."

Gwen nodded, understanding now. Perhaps Sabin's demon was rubbing off on her and that was why she was doubting him. But the demon had fallen silent and Gwen remembered Sabin saying that the demon listened to Isolde and only Isolde, every time she gave it an order. Gwen wondered if Isolde had told the demon to zip it's lip.

"By the way, we never reached an agreement about your duties." Sabin said then.

"Do you not think i'm capable of clerical work or do you just not respect me enough to let me prove myself in that way?" Gwen asked.

"Oh boy." Isolde muttered, ducking around the side of the car to tuck the bags of her goodies into the back seat.

"Wait, did you just throw out the R word in a discussion about clerical work? What is it with women? Make out a little, and suddenly everything you do means you lack respect for them." Sabin said.

"I resent that." Isolde said, popping her head around the side of the car. "I've never once brought up respect between us and I'm a woman."

Sabin shot her a glare. Isolde held up hands and retreated back around the car.

"That's not true. One, I've been offering to help and you claim you want me to, but you've never actually told me how I can get started. Two, the shower has nothing to do with anything." Gwen said.

"Keep telling yourself that." Isolde remarked from around the car.

Gwen frowned.

"In fact, let's make a pact never to discuss what happened in there again. You too, Isolde." Gwen added.

"Why?" Sabin asked.

"Because I don't want to physically fight your enemy." Gwen replied.

"No, not why do you think I don't respect you or why do I want you to do clerical work, but why don't you want to discuss the shower?" Sabin clarified.

"Because." Gwen replied.

"Why?" he asked.

"Mixing business with pleasure is more dangerous than we are."

Isolde shook her head as the two went back and forth. They weren't getting anywhere quick. The two faced off, Sabin waiting for Gwen to back down and Gwen refusing to do so. Isolde leaned against the tail light, watching the two.

"You're not going to get her help if you keep going at this rate." Isolde told him.

Sabin's jaw popped, a muscle ticking below his eye.

"Get in the car." he ordered.

"Sabin." Gwen started.

"Car." he demanded.

Isolde was sure a curse was floating through Gwen's head at that very moment. Isolde climbed into the back of the car instantly opening one of her boxes of Pocky to stick a piece in her mouth. She stared out the back window while pretending not to listen to the conversation in the front seat.

"Now that we're alone, I don't mind telling you about the artifacts. But the moment you know, it means you're stuck with me. You're not leaving with your sisters, you're not venturing away from the fortress by yourself. Understood?" Sabin asked.

"Just how long are we talking about here?" Gwen asked.

"Until they're found. Only Isolde knows how long and she refuses-"

"Can't!"

"To tell us." Sabin replied, continuing as if he hadn't heard Isolde butt in.

"I'm not agreeing to any such thing. I was imprisoned for a year already and have no desire to live that way again. I do have a life to return to, you know. There are things to do, people to see." Gwen told Sabin.

"Then you'll get nothing out of me." Sabin said, easing into traffic. "You like staying at the fortress. Admit it."

"Fine. I admit it. I've been alone and afraid for a year. You and your friends came and suddenly I wasn't alone. I was still afraid, but no one hurt me or threatened me, and that feeling of safety is just so wonderful I can't bring myself to leave." Gwen admitted.

And she wasn't alone. Isolde knew exactly how Gwen felt. Isolde, herself, could have left when Lucien and the others had started giving her free rein, but she had remained with them. She had felt welcomed, secure, and cared for, for the first time in forever. So Isolde was with Gwen on that one.

"You could have gotten that same feelings from your sisters. Right?" Sabin asked.

"Right. I could have lied about what happened, I suppose, so there'd be no tension, but they've always been able to see right through me. I can lie to anyone but them. You guys are like a vacation away from life. Only, you want me to work on my vacation. And that's okay, as long as it's desk work." Gwen told him.

Sabin heaved a sigh. Isolde grinned to herself.

"Listen up, because I'll only offer this information once. There are four artifacts The Cage of Complusion, the Paring Rod, the Cloak of Invisibility and the All-Seeing Eye. Somehow, when all four are together, they'll point the way to Pandora's box. We own two. The cage and the eye." Sabin told Gwen.

"What are they, exactly? I've never heard of them." Gwen replied.

"Whoever's locked inside the cage is forced to do whatever is commanded of them. Anything and everything, nothing is too sacred, as long as it doesn't hurt Cronus. Since he had the thing constructed, he somehow made sure it couldn't be used against him. We're not sure what the rod does. That cloak is pretty self-explanatory and the eye shows us what's happening in heaven. And hell. Danika is the eye. Isolde knows everything about all four artifacts, but to preserve the future she's seen, which we hope is for our own sake, she can't tell us." Sabin explained.

Gwen glanced back at Isolde, who was staring out the back window of the car, munching on her pocky.

"So how'd you find the cage and the eye?" Gwen asked

"We followed clues Zeus left behind so that he himself could one day reclaim them. Isolde dropped hints here and there to help us." Sabin answered.

"Can I see the cage?" Gwen asked.

"There's no need." Sabin answered.

"But-"

"No." he said, cutting Gwen off.

"What could it hurt?"

"A lot, actually."

"Fine."

The argument, like every one previously between Gwen and Sabin, ended in Sabin's victory.

"What are you going to do with Pandora's box when you find it?" Gwen asked.

"Smash it to pieces." Sabin answered.

"Anya mentioned is could draw the demon out of you, killing you and locking away the demon." Gwen mentioned

"Yes."

"What happens if you're killed without the box? Does the demon die, too?" Gwen asked.

"So many questions." Sabin muttered.

"Sorry. I've always been too curious for my own good." Gwen said.

Isolde tuned out of the conversation there. Her eyes had caught on someone following them. Isolde shifted in her seat, waiting for Sabin to notice that they had three cars on their tail. It didn't take him that long.

"Shit. We're being followed. Damn it! I allowed myself to be distracted or I would have caught them before now." Sabin said sharply.

"Hunters?" Gwen asked.

"Absolutely. Shit!"

Isolde lunged forward, wrapping around arm around Gwen's shoulders from behind. She held on tight to the seat and Gwen as another car swung into their path and they crashed. Isolde felt like her brain had been rattled in her head. One window shattered, but Isolde ducked her head, saving her eyes from glass.

"You good, Gwen?" Sabin asked.

"Yes." Gwen replied, giving Isolde's arm a thankful squeeze.

"Isolde?" Sabin asked, looking around Gwen's seat.

"Yeah, just a little rattled." Isolde replied.

"Lock yourself inside. Unless you want to fight?" Sabin told Gwen. "Isolde."

Sabin launched himself out of the car. Isolde released Gwen and kicked her door open, darting out of the car, her hand reaching for her weapons. Gwen twisted as Isolde's door slammed close. She watched the girl as she pulled even with Sabin. The man told her something and she broke away from him, darting around the side, avoiding bullets that followed her.

Gwen watched as the girl jumped up on a hood of a car, running up over the top, taking a flying leap from the top of the car. She landed among a grouping of four men, taking them down in a pile of flying limbs. Gwen yelped, her hands flying up to her mouth when she saw a man turn a gun on Isolde, shooting the girl from behind. The bullet hit her in one shoulder, knocking the girl to the side and she vanished into a pool of shadows. She popped back out behind the man, brutally slashing at his spinal cord from behind.

Gwen couldn't believe how effectively the girl moved. She was younger than Gwen and had more courage than Gwen had ever had. If Isolde, who was once human, could do it...couldn't she? Just this once, this one time only, than she would be on full time clerical duty. Trembling from head to toe, she eased herself out of the car. Sabin was locked in battle, never slowing a bit even as the Hunters shot him full of holes.

Isolde was dancing her own dance of lethal blades and fatal guns. She was bleeding, had lost her sunglasses, her eyes now flashing with her determination, and she only grew more vicious the more they harmed her. Gwen could see the lethal, vicious nature in the girl, she had been told about. Dodging another bullet, Isolde darted to Sabin's side, taking out a Hunter that had been aiming for his back. She threw her back up against Sabin's, both of them unconsciously watching the other's back. Despite how much the two may fight, they had each other's backs when they needed it.

"Stupid, going out alone, demon. Give us back our women, and we'll be on our way." one Hunter said.

" **Your** women? Sorry, but where I come from, that is **not** how you treat your women." Isolde said, sharply, Sabin snorting in agreement.

"Your women are gone." Sabin told them.

"Not the redhead. We saw her with you. That whore certainly cozied up quick. Just like the one covering your back." the Hunter retorted.

Isolde bristled. She was many things, but she wasn't a whore. And neither was Gwen. She resented careless comments like that. Sabin was beyond furious as well.

"Call her that again. I dare you." Sabin growled.

A smart man would have run, then and there. Obviously these Hunters weren't smart because they stayed exactly where they were. Isolde could feel Doubt banging around in Sabin, furious as well and he was reeling Isolde in with his anger. She was sure her eyes were starting to bleed dry of the blue and turn red.

"She's a whore, that little girlie beside you is a whore and a bitch, and you're a bastard." the Hunter replied.

"I'll agree to the bitch part, but I'm not a whore." Isolde growled.

"I'm gonna jam you both up with copper, revive you and spend the rest of my life making you pay for what you did in Egypt." the Hunter added, one of his friend piping in too.

Sabin didn't say another word to them.

"Isolde." he said on a growl.

Isolde started towards the Hunters, eyes blazing red. She picked up speed until she hit the nearest man at a flat out run. She took him down in a fury of shadows, the man screaming bloody murder. Sabin charged the now stunned men, fury pulsing from him. He confronted the remaining men and Isolde reappeared from the shadows, the man she had taken with her, dead at her feet. Isolde was just about to pick out her next target when she heard Gwen.

"You want me? Come and get me."

Isolde turned to find Gwen waving her arms over her head, blades in her hands. Isolde had known it was coming but she still couldn't believe how incredible stupid Gwen was being. Everyone came to a complete stand-still and all eyes turned to Gwen. Gwen threw a knife that fell to the ground uselessly. Isolde slapped a hand to her face. Gwen really did need knife throwing lessons.

"Gwen, get out of the way!" Isolde barked at her.

Gwen jolted and ducked for cover, but it was too late. One Hunter shot her, hitting her in the shoulder. Gwen was knocked backwards and stayed laying there. Isolde shot forward, only to have a Hunter take a lunging jump at her. He caught her legs sending her sprawling face first on the ground. Isolde pushed her face out of the ground and whipped around, turning a burning glare on the man hanging onto her legs. She twisted around, slashing at the man with her knife and jamming her boot into his face. She felt his nose snap under her boot heel and his grip on her fell slack.

It was then that she felt it.

A knife came flying from the side, burying itself in her side, just above her hip. Isolde's vision winked with red as she looked down at her side. The blade wasn't visible at all, just the hilt. Blood was spilling down her side. If she yanked the knife out now, she would lose more blood than if she left it in. Her eyes rose finding the man approaching her.

"You really shouldn't have done that." Isolde told him.

In response, he raised a gun to shoot her. Isolde beat him to the punch, raising her own gun to firing three shots. The man dropped dead.

Literally.

A loud roar sounded and Isolde knew it was Sabin. It was an unholy noise that sent a chill down her spine. A loud gasp from Gwen, drove Isolde to her feet. Pain ricocheted up her side, making her insides feeling like they were burning, and her world spun. Isolde bit back the pain, shook her head to clear it, and hurried to Gwen's side. Another bullet had hit her in the chest. Isolde eased up beside Gwen, taking one of her hands.

"Gwen. Come on, Gwen, stay awake." Isolde told her.

"I'm...fine." Gwen replied, before passing out.

Isolde's own vision was swaying. She was close to passing out too.

"Gwen! Isolde!"

Isolde looked up at Sabin as he ripped through another Hunter.

"She's been shot. I'll take her back to the fortress." Isolde told him as he finally made it to her side.

The Hunters were all dead. Not a single one had made it out alive after Gwen had been shot. Sabin's anger had been too great. Sabin dropped to his knees beside her, his eyes on Gwen. He turned to Isolde to say something and saw the knife buried in her side.

"Isolde-"

"I'm fine. I'll take her back. Call Lucien." Isolde told him.

Sabin nodded, but Isolde had already took hold of Gwen, shadows swallowing the two whole. He called Lucien on the drive back. The man flashed Maddox and Strider to the scene to clean up the mess and then went back for Gideon and Cameo so the two could search for more Hunters. When he reached the fortress, Isolde had already been moved to her own room, Gwen left in his.

Anya had freaked out, once more, about Isolde obtaining an injury and had complained the whole time Ashlyn removed the knife from Isolde's side and bandaged the wound. Isolde didn't need Anya reminding her that she got hurt a lot. Lucien wasn't too happy either. When Ashlyn was done bandaging her, Kane had showed up. Lucien dragged Anya away, claiming Isolde needed rest to heal.

"Watch her, Kane! Don't let her out of that bed!" Anya ordered before the door closed.

Kane stared at the door. When Isolde heaved a sigh, he turned to look at her. She was leaning back in her pillow, careful of her side.

"You know, despite how crazy she's being about it, she has a point. You do get injured quite a lot." Kane remarked, approaching the bed.

"So I've noticed. Its not necessarily intentional, you know." Isolde replied.

Kane perched himself on the edge of the bed, careful not to bounce her. He braced his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, watching her.

"If you knew it was going to happen, then why weren't you on guard?" Kane asked.

"As I've said before, I know what's going to happen with all of you. I know nothing about what's going to happen to me. It would make my life so much easier if I did." Isolde told him.

"Our lives? Easy?"

"I see you're point, but you don't have to be cute about it." Isolde said sourly.

Kane smiled. Isolde amused him so easily. He watched as Isolde eased herself to the side, clearing a spot next to her. She gave that spot a pat.

"Now stop being cute, and get up here." she told him.

Kane stared at her. He had noticed one thing that drove him to ask her a question now.

"Why do you do that?" he asked.

Isolde looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Do what?" she asked.

"You cuddle up to me, Lucien, Paris, others in general, seeking close physical contact, yet there's always a look in your eyes like the mere idea scares you. The same with your clothes. You dress so revealing at times, yet when a guy actually wants to touch the skin you show, you get this panicked look in your eyes before it's gone and you blow it off." Kane remarked.

And he hit a nerve. He knew he did the moment her expression smoothed out into a blank one. Not many of them could claim they had hit a nerve with Isolde. She usually blew off many of their attempts to even try such a thing. He was pretty sure she was going to kick him out of her room then, but instead she just heaved a sigh.

"Despite whatever may or may not have happened to me in my past, I'm not about to let it determine my life now. I want to be normal, Kane. Or as normal as possible, given the conditions we live in. I'm just trying to piece together as normal of a life as I can. Over coming weaknesses like evasion of touch and being uncomfortable in my own skin, is part of that." Isolde told him.

So she was weary of physical contact with others, insecure and uncomfortable in her own skin, but was trying to get over it. And she seemed comfortable enough with him and the others. It was just an intial weariness and then she was over it. And the wearing of revealing clothes was to make herself more confident with what she had.

"Now are you going to get over here, or not?" she asked.

Kane obeyed the request, moving to sit at the head of the bed beside her. He shifted a little before Isolde leaned her shoulder into his arm.

"See. I'm just fine." she told him.

Her head dropped onto his shoulder and her arm linked through his. Kane looked down at her, studying her face. Her eyes were closed, but she seemed relaxed enough. He hated to push his luck but this was one of the few, rare times that she actually talked...about anything really.

"So you really are scared of sex?" he asked.

Isolde's arm tightened around his, her body tensing for a moment before she relaxed, letting go of the breath she had been holding as she did.

"I've...had some bad experiences. Sexual advances send me running for the hills. I haven't really found any guys I like, so it's not like I can feel secure with a boyfriend so I can try to get over my avoidance of sex." she replied.

"You know you can tell me anything. If you want to talk about it..."

Kane left the sentence hanging. She knew what he meant. He was offering her the same confidence that she had offered him several times before. He was basically telling her that if she wanted to talk about it, he would listen and not repeat. Isolde appreciated it, but she wasn't sure she could stomach talking about it now.

"Its not really anything to discuss. Sex was never a pleasant thing for me. I lost my virginity really young and dealt with a lot of assholes. It hasn't made my life easy, but everyone has their banes, you know. Its not like I need sex to survive. I'll live a long time yet. I'll have plenty of time to work through all of that in the years to come. I mean...you've gone decades without it, Torin's never had sex, Reyes went a long time without it before Danika, and so has Aeron." Isolde remarked.

"And you see how Reyes is with Danika now, how Torin is, secluded in his command central of a room. Not to mention, I can tell you, the lack of intimate touch isn't the best. It's...frustrating." Kane told her.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I chose it for myself, just as you have. But you're case is different from mine. It can be enjoyable, if you're willing to try to work past the unease." Kane told her.

"That's the thing...I'm not willing. Some things are hard to overcome and when you've been hurt once, it's hard to trust not being hurt again. Maybe one day, but not today. For now, I'm content with what I have." Isolde told him.

They sat in silence then, Kane thinking about what she had said and Isolde trying not to think about the past. To tell him what she had, she obviously trusted him somewhat. And he refused to betray that trust. It was too fragile to do that. Isolde was good to him, so he would be good to her.


	28. Mental Mind Fucks

Author's Note: Greetings, my lovely readers. I have another chapter for you. Re-reading the chapters as I work, I have come to notice something...Isolde is a creepy, little thing. A little too late into the story to think that, huh? Anyway, everyone, enjoy and review. I do not own Lords of the Underworld or any of its characters.

Chapter 28 Mental Mind Fucks

Isolde awoke the next morning using Kane's arm as a pillow. The two had stayed up late talking and had eventually fallen asleep doing so. Upon waking up to see only a dark figure laying on the bed next to her, Isolde's heart jumped into her throat, pounding away like a war drum in her ears. It took her a moment to recognize Kane's features in the dim light from the lamp on her desk. Knowing it was Kane, who wouldn't do something to hurt her, went a ways to calming her racing heart beat. The fact that he had made sure to keep every part of his body away from hers except for the part of his arm she was using as a pillow, calmed her completely.

Isolde eased herself into a sitting position, careful not to wake Kane. She winced silently at the soreness in her side and turned to peel back the bandages. The wound was mostly healed, but part of it was still working on healing. It would be fully healed by the end of the day. A glance at her clock showed her that it was well on its way to noon. Since she had changed her curtains to thick, dark ones, she could no longer tell if it was night or day by merely looking out the window.

Mostly because she couldn't see the window.

Isolde looked down at Kane. It was about time to get up. But the question became...how did she wake him up? She could attempt to shove him out of the bed.

The key word then being "attempt".

No matter how hard she tried, she doubted she could shove his large form out of the bed. Not to mention that if she had succeeded, he would probably hit his head on her nightstand. She was trying to wake him up, not cause his brain damage.

Isolde's eyes traveled up to his face and snagged there. He looked so much more relaxed in his sleep. Not exactly peaceful-not with the demon laying in wait inside his head-but more relaxed. She kind of didn't want to wake him now. From the silence in her head, she took that to mean that Disaster was asleep as well. Isolde was still tired herself.

Maybe...

Isolde slowly-so slowly a snail would appear faster-eased herself down next to Kane. It was...uncomfortable, forcing herself to lay so close to a man, but this was Kane. Kane would never do anything, never hurt her. That eased her enough that she could somewhat curl into his side, laying a hand on his chest. To her surprise, it wasn't as uncomfortable as she thought it would be. In fact...she felt a little more at ease. She could feel his heart beating steadily under her fingers and the softness of his deep breaths was lulling.

Was this why some women loved sleeping curled into their men's sides?

Isolde doubted she would have done it if he had been awake, but at the moment, she could see the appeal. Relaxing fully as his familiar scent drafted into her nose, Isolde drifted back off to sleep.

It wasn't long, though, before Kane woke up. He froze all movement when Isolde made a sleepy noise, her fingers curling slightly on his chest. His eyes went to her form, curled somewhat into his side. When they had fallen asleep, she had been using his arm as a pillow. He had made sure not to let any other part of their bodies touch, but now she right at his side, head pillowed on his shoulder. He really didn't want to wake her, but he didn't want her to wake up on her own and try to stab him for being so close. He tried to ease himself away, but Isolde awoke.

Her eyes opened to half mast, half dazed, before she blinked to clear them. When she glanced up at him, finding him awake and watching her, she bolted upright, wincing heavily and pressing a hand into her side when her wound ached.

"Be careful." he told her.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to make us both uncomfortable by laying so close. It's just when I woke up and found you there..." Isolde trailed off, scratching at one cheek, a deep blush painting her cheeks.

That was a new look.

Kane pushed himself up into a sitting position. What he was hearing was that she had purposely curled into him.

"I wanted to see if I could lay so close to a man without being tempted to punch him. You're a rather comfortable pillow." she said lowly.

Well...at least she hadn't felt the need to punch him. That would have been an rather unpleasant way to wake up in the morning. And at least she was at ease enough with him to use him as a pillow.

"Uh...thanks?" he said, phrasing it as a question.

"Sorry." she said again.

"Don't be. I kind of thought it was my fault and that you'd stab me the moment you woke up." Kane told her.

"I almost did when I first woke up and you were asleep. I didn't know it was you at first. Good thing I saw your face before I reached for the knife under my pillow."

That made him feel so much better to know he had **almost** gotten stabbed in his sleep. He decided that, for now, a change in subject would be best.

After he took the knife out from under the pillow and put it out of Isolde's reach, putting a smile on her face.

"How is the stab wound in your side?" he asked.

"Healing. Still not fully healed, but it was a deep wound. I'll be aching for a while." Isolde replied, laying a hand gently over the wound.

"Keep getting injured like this and everyone is going to start thinking that you're doing it to get out of cooking for us." he told her.

"What if I am? No offense, but have you ever tried cooking for seventeen people, twelve of which are men who eat like black holes? It's not fun." Isolde retorted climbing off the bed.

Kane watched her as she vanished into her closet. The dirty and rumpled clothes she had been wearing got tossed out, barely making the dirty clothes hamper and the sound of shifting hangers reached his ears.

"I can't cook. Unless you count sandwiches as culinary genius." Kane told her.

Isolde stuck her head out the closet, a grin on her face.

"None of you can cook. That's the one thing that seems to be consistent between all of you. Really the only ones in this house that can cook aside from me are Ashlyn and Danika."

"Are you saying that Anya can't cook?" Kane asked.

"Please. We all know she steals everything she supposedly "cooks" for Lucien." Isolde retorted before ducking back into the closet.

"What about Sabin's female?" Kane asked.

"Gwen? As far as I know, she doesn't cook either. She has to steal or earn her food to be able to eat, so cooking for herself seems a bit pointless. Don't tell Sabin I told you that, though. He might see it as me giving away secrets. Gods know he already thinks of me as a reliability."

"Consider me silent as the grave." Kane told her.

"Thanks."

Isolde stepped out of her closet then, securing the top tie of a cut-off, cream colored halter top with blue and black feathers working a pattern up the left side. The blood stained bandages around her mid-drift caught Kane's eyes.

"You need help changing those?" he asked.

Isolde looked down at them. She may heal faster than a human, but that didn't mean infection couldn't set in from dirty bandages.

"Yeah, that would be great." she told him.

Kane fetched the first aid kit that Isolde kept under the bed and had her stand with her arms raised so he could remove the old bandages. The wound was still open, but it looked better than it had the day before. Isolde squirmed, choking back a laugh when Kane's fingers skimmed over her ribs as he was wrapping new bandages. Kane raised an eyebrow at her.

"Ticklish?" he asked.

"Just a little around the ribs. Not a lot. I'm only really ticklish in two places and I'm never telling anyone where." Isolde replied, stubbornly.

"Don't say that around Strider. He'll take up the challenge."

"Oh gods! No!"

Having Strider pin her down so he could tickle every inch of her until he found the two spots, wasn't even on the list of appealing things she wanted to go through in her life. She already hated it when people found out where the ticklish spots were. She most certainly did not need Strider of all people, figuring it out.

"All done."

Isolde heaved a sigh when Kane finally secured the bandage in place. She dropped her arms to her side as he took the old bandages and threw them away. When it came down to it, though she still was iffy about intimate contact, she felt relaxed enough around certain inhabitants of the fortress, that that wasn't much of an issue. Lucien, Kane, and Paris being at the top of that list. Ironically in Paris' case given his demon.

A loud rumble of her stomach broke Isolde from her thoughts. Apparently it was really loud for Kane turned to her and raised an eyebrow at her. Isolde folded her hands over her stomach and grinned, almost sheepishly.

"Healing takes a lot of energy. My stomach, apparently, is demanding it be given fuel." Isolde told him.

"Then lets go see what we can find for it." Kane suggested.

Lucien, Gideon, Strider, and Cameo were in the kitchen when Isolde walked in. All four demons gave their customary greetings in Isolde's head the moment she walked in, making the four keepers look up. Cameo instantly walked over to her, wrapping her arms around Isolde in a hug. Misery, in one of it's rare cases, purred at the contact. It was one of the few times that Cameo was allowed a moment in which she wasn't completely miserable.

Lucien on the other hand, instantly dropped his conversation with the other warriors, turning to her.

"How are you feeling, baby girl?" he asked.

"I'm fine. Seriously, you all over worry for nothing. I'm just accident prone." Isolde replied, Disaster cackling in agreement.

"You need to be more careful." Cameo told her.

"I'm well aware. But at this moment-"

Isolde was cut off, embarrassed when her stomach gave another loud, protesting rumble, basically yelling at her to feed it. Smiles graced the warrior's faces, Strider and Gideon chuckling.

"I need to eat." Isolde said simply.

Cameo released her, letting the girl go to the fridge. Isolde pulled it open, glad to see that most of the groceries had made it home. She snagged a bag of grapes to snack on, washing them and pouring them into a bowl, popping a few into her mouth before she began pulling things out to make an actual meal.

"If you're still in pain, you don't have to cook." Lucien told her.

"I thought we had worked this out when I moved in. Cooking is my job. I'm able to stand and chop and cook, so I'm good." Isolde replied, popping another grape in her mouth.

Strider snagged a grape from her bowl and got smacked across the knuckles with a wooden spoon Isolde had just pulled from a drawer. She shook the spoon at him, getting a grin from the man as he popped the stolen grape in his mouth.

As Isolde cooked, Lucien and the others went back to their conversation, discussing Hunters. Kane joined them, watching Isolde out of the side of his eyes in case she needed help with anything. As normal, she didn't. Isolde could handle cooking just fine.

"We'll just have to keep a closer eye out for them." Strider said, as Isolde was checking on the three large pans of her special pork chops that she had dipped in ketchup, coated in cracker crumbles, and baked.

Most people didn't like them when first hearing it, but everyone who had eaten them, liked them. Usually when she made them, the warriors basically inhaled them. Isolde judged them to be close to done and closed the oven door. She turned back to making the almond cheesecake she was working on, popping more grapes in her mouth.

"Baby girl."

Isolde looked up when Strider leaned back in his chair to look at her.

"Are there anymore Hunters in town?" Strider asked.

"Not at this present moment." Isolde replied, her eyes returning to her work.

"That's one less problem to deal with at the moment." Lucien muttered.

"But now we have to worry about Sabin's female. He's practically a mess with her injured." Strider remarked.

"Everything will work out. Give it time. Maybe he'll realize he's not as stone cold as he thinks he is and will stop giving me crap." Isolde retorted.

"Isolde, sweetheart, that is a two way street." Lucien told her.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Take the moral high road, were all each other has, blah, blah-blah, blah-blah. I get it." Isolde replied, waving her wooden spoon.

Lucien raised an eyebrow at Isolde who just grinned back at him. He could give her all the looks he wanted, but it wouldn't make her get along with someone who didn't want to get along with her.

"The way I see it, if he doesn't want to deal with me, he can hit the road. I was here first. Technically speaking, of course. I've got nothing on him in age." Isolde added, turning to return to her cheesecake.

She heard Lucien heave a sigh and was pretty sure that he was holding his head. She drove him to that sometimes.

"You are just as stubborn as your mother." Lucien remarked suddenly.

Isolde turned then, a dab of cheesecake filling on the spoon. Her free hand went to her hip and she wagged the spoon at him, managing somehow to keep the bit of filling on the spoon and off the floor.

"Hey, Mr. Kettle, Mr. Pot called and he says you're black." she retorted.

Getting the joke, Strider and Gideon snorted in laughter, Kane grinning. Lucien on the other hand, raised an eyebrow.

"Come again?" he asked.

"You're the pot calling the kettle black. You are just as stubborn as Anya on any given day." Isolde told him.

Lucien didn't have a come back for that one. It had been proven to him how stubborn he was and Isolde would most certainly throw it up in his face. Isolde turned back to her cheesecake, adding the final touches before sliding it into the fridge. She turned to check on the pork chops, pulling them out and sitting them out to cool when she found them done. Isolde set out enough plates for everyone, dishing out two pork chops and sides on each one. When it was done, she set two plates on a tray along with silverware and drinks.

"Foods ready. I'm going to make a quick delivery." Isolde said, picking up the tray and vanishing into her shadows.

Her first stop was Torin's room. She knocked on the door before entering. The man, as always, was sitting before his wall-o-screens, his hands folded over his stomach. He spun around to face her when she walked inside.

"Hey Wicked Man. Time for food." she told him.

"It's almost like you can read my mind, baby girl." he replied with a smile.

Isolde walked over to him, setting his plate and glass down on an open section of desk.

"I just listened to my own stomach. I figured big, over worked warriors like the lot that lives here, could always eat. Which you all pretty much do." Isolde told him.

Torin grinned at her as she sat down her tray and leaned a hip against the desk. She made sure to keep enough distance from him that he felt comfortable.

"You make us sound like bottomless pits." Torin remarked.

"Oh? You lot aren't? I was under the impression that all men are bottomless pits."

Torin raised one dark brow at her in a teasing look, which she waved off.

"How's the wound?" he asked suddenly, his eyes going to the bandages around her waist.

"Fine. It was just a stab wound. Nothing that will kill me...wow. I never thought I'd be able to say that in my life." Isolde replied.

Torin chuckled at that one.

"Being immortal has it's perks." he agreed.

"I suppose so, though I've yet to figure out what in the world I'm going to do with all that time to live."

"According to Kane, you like writing. Ever think of publishing? I could help." Torin offered.

Isolde laughed, shaking her head at the idea.

"Maybe one day. Right now, none of my pieces are public worthy. Kind of hard to prefect and edit with all the interruptions we've been getting."

"You have a point there. Who's the second plate for?" Torin asked, gesturing to the tray.

"A grumpy sourpuss who won't thank me for it but who needs to eat anyway." Isolde replied.

Torin didn't need anymore information than that to figure out who she was talking about.

"Don't get yourself shot." he told her as she picked up the tray.

"As if. I've had enough injuries because of him." Isolde replied.

Torin's chuckle rang in her ears as she slipped into her shadows. When she came out of them, she stood in the middle of Sabin's room. The man jerked up right on the bed where he had Gwen tucked into his side, but Isolde ignored him and simply walked over to his night stand, setting the tray there.

"You need to eat. It won't do her any good if you weaken from the lack of food." she told him before vanishing as quickly as she had arrived.

She really didn't want to deal with him. She joined the others downstairs, finding them all crowding around the massive table with their plates. Isolde claimed the only open chair between Anya and Kane. The only ones missing were Torin, Cameo-who had probably joined Torin-, Sabin, Paris, and Aeron. Isolde had a pretty good idea why with the last two.

"It seems even when injured that our baby girl can still cook a good meal." Strider remarked from the other end of the table.

"I'm not going to become an invalid from one little stab wound. I'm not made of fine china, you know." Isolde retorted.

"Whoever said you were made of fine china obviously has not been hit by you." Reyes muttered.

"Need I remind you that pretty much every time I've punched you, you've asked for it?" Isolde told him.

Reyes didn't reply, leading to laughter around the table.

"Well china or not, you about give me a heart attack every time you come home like that." Anya remarked, wrapping an arm around Isolde's shoulders. "That's why you are joining your wonderful mama on a little trip away from home. Just tonight and tomorrow."

Isolde looked up at her, suspicious. She raised an eyebrow at her. A little trip with the goddess of Anarchy could lead to a shop lifting spree in Paris, or batting at mailboxes in a small suburbian town in America. Either way it wasn't a good thing.

"Don't give me that look. It'll be good for you." Anya told her.

"Uh-huh. That remains to be seen." Isolde replied.

She suppose the only way was to wait in see. Though she didn't really relish the idea of leaving the fortress for long. Especially with the arrival of Gwen's sisters just around the corner and Disaster's growing neediness. Disaster chose that moment to whimper in her head.

 _Be a good demon and when I get back I'll you and your keeper stay in my room over night again,_ Isolde promised the demon, sending it into a gleeful fit.

Kane turned a questioning look on Isolde who just held a finger up to her lips. She was sure Disaster would tell him sooner or later. She highly doubted the demon could keep anything to itself.

She just had to survive a whole day at Anya's mercy.

Yippee.

-0-0-0-0-

The trip turned out to be nothing more than a trip to a spa that catered to immortals. Something Isolde was more than happy to take. She wasn't naturally an overly girly person, but she liked to be pampered a little just like any person. Relaxing hot springs, full body massages, seaweed wraps, and several other treatments that left Isolde limp like a noddle and relaxed completely for the first time in her life. In addition to that, she was able to get her highlights touched up. Something she had needed for weeks before she even came to the fortress.

By the time they returned home late the next day, Isolde was far too relaxed to even bother being uptight about nearly being run over by Strider, William, and a few of the others upon entering the house. She went straight to her room and feel face first on her bed. She was laying there, face down in her pillows when there was a knock on the door before it opened.

"You really should just stop knocking. I know when you're coming, Kane." Isolde said lazily over her shoulder.

Kane smiled when he saw her. Compared to how pale she had looked after the stabbing, she now had a healthy glow to her skin, her hair looked all shiny and silky, her highlights standing out more vividly than before, and she looked like she couldn't even be bothered to lift a finger.

"I take it wherever Anya took you, you got a lot of relaxation." he remarked.

"Oh yeah. Full body massages, long soaks in a hot springs...I've never been more happy to spend a whole day naked than I have the last day." Isolde replied.

Kane rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly when the image of a naked Isolde draped in only a sheet and laying on a table popped into his head. Had Strider or William heard the comment it could have been taken in so many different ways.

"Lovely image." he told her.

"Sorry. I'm too relaxed to care. So did Disaster give you any problems while I was gone?" Isolde asked.

"Surprisingly, no. I assume it was from something you said to him." Kane replied, easing himself down on the edge of her bed.

Isolde turned her head to the side to look at him.

"Yeah. I promised him if he was a good demon than I would let the two of you spend the night in here again. Apparently it appeals to him."

Kane stared at her for a long moment.

"You don't sound the least bit uncomfortable with that." he remarked.

"For one, I am too relaxed to sweat it. For two, you've slept in here before and nothing happened. It should be a show of my trust in you. But if you want to bring about Disaster's wrath by refusing, it's your head the ceiling's going to fall on. Not mine."

She had a point there. He could already feel Disaster's eagerness to cause something to fall on his head. He hoped to avoid that. If she was fine with it, then he didn't see a problem. It was no different than sharing a bed with Cameo because that was all the space there was. Something he had done several time even after he had stopped dating her.

"You sure you're alright with it?" he asked.

"I'm already half asleep. Anya didn't let me sleep while we were gone." Isolde replied, flapping a hand at him.

She inched over, baring half of the bed for him before wrapping her arms around a pillow and snuggling into it. Kane smiled as he watched her.

"You should at least take your boots off." he told her.

Isolde flopped her feet around uselessly, as if she was trying to kick her boots off, but the things didn't budge from her feet. Kane finally helped her, but by the time the second boot hit the floor, Isolde was already asleep. Kane flipped off the lights and laid down on the half of the bed that was left open. It wasn't long before Isolde rolled in her sleep, pressing her butt against his hip. She was back to using his arm as a pillow, hugging her real pillow to her chest. Kane fell asleep like that.

Only a few hours later, in the dead of night, Doubt reached into her mind, prodding Isolde wide awake, warning her of danger. Isolde's eyes snapped open. She eased herself up on the bed, working around Kane so not to wake him. The large man took up most of her bed, so it wasn't an easy task. Isolde was pretty sure she knew why Doubt had woke her. Kaia had just found her way into Sabin's room. Bianka and Taliyah would be right behind her.

Isolde rolled off the bed, hitting the floor with a soft thud. She poked her head up to make sure she hadn't awoken Kane and, finding him still asleep, she snagged her knives under the bed and let the shadow wrap around her. She kept the shadows thick around her when she materialized in Sabin's room. Sabin was there with Gwen held against his side. All three of Gwen's sisters had barricaded the door, ready to bunker down until they got the information they wanted.

"No one else knows we're here. So it's just gonna be the five of us." Bianka said.

"Not exactly."

Five pairs of eyes whipped around to Isolde as her shadows peeled back to reveal her where she now sat cross legged on top of one of Sabin's weapons chests. All three harpies were instantly on alert, Bianka swinging around to attack Isolde...only to fly right through Isolde's shadowy form. Isolde wasn't stupid enough to fully solidify in the presence of three harpies who would rip her apart in less than a blink of an eye.

"Yeah, that's not going to work. Three, blood thirsty harpies ready to kill at the drop of a pin...I'm not going to solidify my true physical form in your presence. I'm not stupid, I just act like it." Isolde remarked, looking over her shoulder at Bianka. "No worries though...I dislike him more than you do."

Sabin frowned as Isolde jabbed a thumb in his direction. She just had to add that little part in. Always, without fail.

"Who are you?" Kaia demanded.

"Unfortuantly...I'm his sister. By circumstance, I assure you. My parents would be serverely angry with me if I let you kill him. Well...my father would be. I'm not quite sure my mother cares all that much." Isolde replied.

"How'd you get in here?" Taliyah asked, her icy eyes on Isolde.

Isolde met her icy gaze with her indifferent, two toned one.

"You see this?" Isolde asked, holding out one arm and waving a hand through it.

Shadows shifted dispersing and forming the shape of her arm, letting her other hand pass through without an issue.

"I travel through shadows, use them to shield me, hide me, and to keep my body half hidden outside the physical realm if need be. With women who can move faster than I can see...it's needed." Isolde explained.

"Isolde, please don't anger them." Gwen pleaded.

"I'm not trying to. In fact, my wariness of them should be a compliment. It shows how much I respect their strength." Isolde remarked with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I like this girl." Kaia remarked.

Isolde bowed her head in thanks. Sabin was half tempted to strangle Isolde but he realized that Isolde's presence might just be a good thing.

"Does anyone else know we're here?" Taliyah asked.

"No. Doubt woke me up. He's a persistent little bugger when he wants to be." Isolde replied, covering a yawn. "Go back to what you were doing. I'm just observing."

Sabin shot Isolde a glare. Not that it did anything to effect Isolde. She just ignored him...as usual. The sisters seemed satisfied enough to leave Isolde to watch, though Taliyah kept one sharp eye on her.

"Before we start talking, let's take care of baby girl." Kaia said, cutting her wrist and demanding Gwen drink the blood.

Sabin refused to let Gwen drink from her sister and insisted that if Gwen needed blood, she would drink it from him. He didn't let any of them protest and Bianka turned to raise an eyebrow at Isolde whose chin was resting in one hand.

"He's a stubborn man. You aren't going to get him to budge." Isolde remarked.

Isolde ignored Sabin and Gwen, knowing full well what was going through the two's heads and how they were reacting to the blooding sucking. If it wasn't for the other people in the room, Isolde was pretty sure the blood drinking would have led to a lot more.

"Don't drain him, baby girl. We have a few questions for him first." Bianka said, pulling Gwen back from Sabin's neck.

"Touch her like that again and you'll be saying goodbye to your hands." Sabin snarled at Bianka.

"Now there's the Lord of the Underworld I've heard so much about. I almost believe you'll do it, demon. Well, try to do it." Bianka replied with a grin.

"I never make a threat I don't intend to see through." Sabin replied.

"I don't think challenging them is the best thing to do at this moment." Isolde remarked.

Sabin's eyes snapped to her, but the look on Isolde's face was bored at the best. She didn't look like she really cared if he challenged them and got himself slaughtered.

"I'm so glad you're here." Gwen said to her sisters, drawing their attention from Isolde and Sabin.

"The big guy not taking care of you?" Kaia asked.

The redhead was busy being nosy, going through Sabin's dresser drawers and riffling through his weapons cases. Isolde watched her idly.

"He's taking care of me." Gwen defended.

Taliyah stepped up to the bed to look down at Sabin and Gwen.

"I know your situation with the Hunters. I've heard tales of your viciousness and have admired you for it. I've even hoped to meet you. But now I want to kill you for bringing my sister into this mess. She isn't a fighter." Taliyah said.

Isolde let out a sharp, little "Ha!", making Taliyah turn an icy glare on her. Isolde just smiled in return.

"She could be." Sabin replied, pulling Taliyah's attention back to him.

"Actually, the Hunters brought me in." Gwen admitted.

"Gwen." Sabin warned.

"They need to know everything." Gwen insisted before telling her sisters the whole story.

Tears fell down her face as she recanted the story. Sabin wiped the tears away, silence filling the room when Gwen was finished. Isolde, for once in her life, didn't feel the need to pipe in and add her opinion to the matter.

"How did they get you?" Taliyah asked finally.

"Tyson forgot his cell phone one morning when he left for work, and I knew he'd want it. But he was too far down the road for me to catch at human speed so I…I used my wings and beat him to his office. Hunters saw me when I stopped, thought I had magically appeared, though I didn't know it at the time. I guess they followed me home, waited until later that night when Tyson and I...fell asleep." Gwen admitted, stopping a few times to gulp.

"You slept in bed with Tyson?" her sisters asked as one.

"What's with you Harpies and sleep? Not that I think you're wrong to be disgusted by anyone in bed with chicken man. It's that bastard Tyson who needs to die. He didn't protect her." Sabin remarked.

"Neither did you." Taliyah retorted.

"I'm alive because of Sabin. And Tyson's not a bad guy. He tried to save me before they knocked him out." Gwen insisted. "Anyway, I found myself wrapped up, unable to move, barely able to breathe as the Hunters flew me to Egypt. They locked me up and twelve months later, Sabin, Isolde there, and the other Lords set me free and brought me here."

"You killed the men responsible for her torment, of course?" Taliyah asked.

"Gwen killed one. I killed some of the others." Sabin replied.

"Why not all? And good job, Gwen." Taliyah said.

"The survivors are being held in my dungeon and tortured for information." Sabin answered.

"That's all right, then. Have you eaten?" Taliyah said, turning to Gwen.

"Yes."

Isolde almost grinned at the sketchy side glance Gwen threw Sabin's way before she answered. She would find out sooner or later that Sabin didn't really care that she had stolen food from him. Isolde, herself, lifted weapons from him all the time. Mostly just to annoy him, though.

"You ready to go home, then?" Kaia asked, jumping up on the bed. "'Cause I'm more than ready to blow this joint. I know you like your demon, so you can bring him if you want. Whether he wants to come or not. We'll get you tucked safely away and come back for the Hunters. They will pay for what they did to you. Don't worry."

Bianka on the other other, turned and looked at Isolde who still had yet to move or say much of anything.

"But what will we do with her?" Bianka asked.

"It doesn't matter. Gwen's not going anywhere." Sabin said, making the harpies turn to look at him.

"Right. I'm staying." Gwen agreed.

All three of her sisters stared at her, all three quiet. Isolde already knew where this was going and judging from her calm attitude, Sabin was pretty sure he did too.

"Fine. But where should we store our gear?" Bianka asked with a sigh.

"There's an empty room beside this one. Mind sharing?" Sabin replied.

"No, we don't mind. But tell me, what are your plans for the Hunters?" Taliyah asked.

"To kill them. All of them. We'll never know peace as long as they're alive." Sabin replied.

"Well, lucky you, you've got yourself three new soldiers." Taliyah said.

"Four." Gwen hurriedly added.

Isolde knew Sabin wasn't happy with that. He didn't want her getting hurt anymore than she already had. Her sisters though, were ready to indulge her this whim.

"Well, don't just lie there. Get up. We've got a war to win." Kaia said.

"Welcome to my army, girls." Sabin remarked.

Isolde heaved a sigh then, making all of them turn to look at her. Her shoulders were sagged, as if she was suddenly tired.

"Lovely. I get to go from cooking for eighteen, to cooking for twenty-one. Whoopie." Isolde said with false cheer. "I'll tell Daddy."

With another sigh, the shadows swallowed Isolde whole. She made a stop by Lucien's room to tell him about their new arrivals and then headed back to her room. Kane was still asleep and Isolde left him there, grabbing clothes and hopping into the shower. She was glad to find the wound in her side nothing more than a red scar. That meant no more bandages. Something she was happy for.

Isolde was just toweling herself dry when there was a knock on her door.

"Isolde, you in there?" came Kane's voice.

"Yeah. I'll be out in a minute." Isolde called back as she tossed aside the towel.

She wiggled into her underwear and rushed into a pair of tight fitting, short track shorts and a cropped off tank top with a low enough neck line to be deemed highly inappropriate. Screw the bra. When she came out of the bathroom, running a brush through her hair, she found Kane sitting in one of her chairs, flipping through the print-off of the novel she had been writing on. He looked up when she dropped to sit on the chest at the foot of her bed and started rolling on a pair of sheer stockings with laced edges.

"Something wrong? You look distracted." Kane remarked.

"We have more guest now. Gwen, Sabin's harpy, her sisters are here now." Isolde told him.

"Really? I bet Sabin's happy." Kane remarked.

"Sort of. Now Gwen is insisting in being apart of the fighting. He's not too awfully happy about that."

Kane looked up from the papers in his hands. Isolde had one leg raised and was managing to hide a wicked looking knife under her already too tight shorts.

"Are you suggesting he has feelings for her?" Kane asked.

"I don't suggest anything I know for sure about, Kane. You know that. Sabin is going to be a stubborn idiot and deny himself for a long time yet, but he'll realize it soon enough."

"If you say so." Kane replied.

Isolde pushed to her feet and stretched her arms over her head.

"Time to make breakfast. You coming?" Isolde asked.

"Yeah, sure."

Isolde and Kane made their way downstairs. Most of everyone was still in their rooms, which meant that the kitchen was empty. Kane watched her as she made breakfast, drinking a can of Peace Tea while she did. Strider made an appearance just as she was about to finish breakfast and had just opened her second can.

"How can you stomach so much of that stuff?" Strider asked, eyeing the cans.

"The same way you can toss back bag after bag of Red Hots." Isolde replied as she dumped the last bit of scrambled eggs into the large bowl that was sitting on the table along side platters of bacon, saugage, hashbrowns, toast, and waffles.

She sat out a tray, piling on enough food for five people while Kane and Strider helped themselves to the food. Almost as if being summoned by the smell of food, others started trickling into the kitchen.

"I'm making deliveries. Enjoy." Isolde announced, stepping into shadows.

She stepped back out in Sabin's room, where she found the four Skyhawk sisters sitting on his bed. All four looked up at her as she suddenly appeared in the middle of the room. Sabin must have been in the shower, because she didn't see him at all.

"Yo. I have breakfast for Sabin. If you want breakfast, you'll have to fend for yourselves." Isolde told them, setting the loaded tray on a table.

Gwen smiled at Isolde, understanding what she was doing for them.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks Isolde." Gwen told her.

"Uh-huh. Have fun giving Sabin hell." Isolde replied, waving over her shoulder as her shadows swallowed her.

Isolde joined the others for breakfast and was eventually dragged away by Anya who needed a third person to join her for video games with Gilly. Isolde wasn't the absolute best with video games, and usually didn't play them, but she didn't mind. She was there, finishing up a game, when Sabin came looking for Anya. He told Anya about their guest sending the goddess into joyful clapping.

"Isolde told Lucien and I of our guest, but she didn't tell me they were more Harpies!" Anya said, turning a look on Isolde who shrugged indifferently.

"Now you know. They're in the gym. So what's the deal with Harpies sleeping?" Sabin asked.

"Figure it out on your own. I've got a Skyhawk reunion to see to. Come on, baby girl." Anya said, looping an arm with Isolde's and half dragging her out of the room.

Sabin followed them to the gym, curious to see how this would go. When they walked into the gym, all three of the older Skyhawk sisters looked up from where they were tossing barbells back and forth as if they weighted next to nothing. They instantly stopped what they were doing and ran for Anya. Isolde stepped out of the way as they wrapped their arms around Anya, asking loads of questions.

"Sorry about that, girlies. I've been all over the world. You know, seeing the sights, causing trouble and falling in love with Death himself. I'm here because this is home. Like what I've done with the place?" Anya replied to their questions.

Sabin, who was being ignored by the women, left. Isolde watched him go from where she stood on the sidelines.

"And I even have my own adorable, little daughter now!" Anya said, surprising the harpies.

Isolde was pulled out of her thoughts when Anya suddenly yanked on her arm and pulled Isolde to her side, wrapping her arms around her.

"Isn't she the cutest?" Anya asked.

The three turned their eyes on Isolde who gave them a finger wave.

"You're Anya's daughter? Why didn't you say so!?" Bianka asked.

"Because I knew when you saw her, she would more than likely tell you. And to be fair...I'm her adopted daughter." Isolde replied.

"Me and my man, Lucien, adopted her after we got together. She's becoming a down right menace. With my guidance, of course." Anya told them.

"I was already a menace. Ask Daddy." Isolde retorted.

"Its those abilities of your's that are the menace." Anya assured her.

"Abilities? Oh, tell, tell!" Kaia insisted.

"Baby girl here, knows the future." Anya answered.

"Correction. I know the past, present, and future of those around me. I can't tell the future of the whole world, you know." Isolde replied.

"You mean you know about us too?" Kaia asked gesturing to herself and her sisters.

Isolde nodded. She had a feeling that even if she did spill what she knew to them now, that Bianka and Kaia wouldn't be too awfully happy with the though of who they ended up with. Though in the future they would be over joyed with their men.

"Before you ask though, I can't spill my guts. I can only give hints to people. Nothing major. And I don't know my own future. Which really sucks." Isolde added.

Anya pat her shoulder. Sometimes it really did annoy Isolde not to know how things would change to accommodate her presence in that world, but she enjoyed knowing what was coming next generally. It helped her not be too surprised. If only she really did have the ability to see into the future. It would make things even more amusing.

"She also has the ability to use shadows for a lot of neat tricks. And then there's the white flames too." Anya said.

"Still haven't figured out how to control that one." Isolde muttered.

"You'll get it." Anya assured her.

"Sounds like you get to have a lot of fun." Kaia asked.

"She's a shoplifting pro! Makes her mama proud." Anya declared.

"Though with the kind of cash the others keep pushing onto me, I don't need to shoplift. But oh well, I do." Isolde said with a shrug.

"We totally need to go on a shopping trip together." Bianka remarked.

"Sounds like the best idea I've heard in a while. But...I'm currently being called." Isolde said, pointing to the roof.

"Who this time?" Anya asked turning to look at her.

"Disease. The little shit." Isolde replied.

"Oh this sounds interesting." Kaia cooed.

"Another ability?" Taliyah asked.

"Yeah. I'm connected to the demons inside every Lord. I can hear them, communicate with them, even take on their effects to lessen their effects on their host. I've even been able to show some amount of control over them." Isolde answered.

"Now that ability rocks." Bianka remarked.

"Only when they aren't nagging my ears off. I'll be back." Isolde said, slipping into shadows.

When she came back out of them, she found herself sitting cross legged on Torin's desk, just five feet from him. Torin looked up at her in surprise.

"Yo." Isolde greeted.

"Baby girl? What are you doing in here? Usually you knock." Torin remarked, turning his chair to look at her.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry for barging in like this. Disease was begging for a bit of my attention and considering what's about to happen, I decided to indulge him." Isolde told him.

Torin raised one black brow at her. Normally Isolde didn't indulge Disease in anything. She kept it firmly out of her head. And then there was her other comment about what was about to happen. Torin didn't know whether to be iffy of that or not.

"What's about to happen?" Torin asked.

"Give it a moment." Isolde told him. "You're about to have an unwanted guest."

Torin was about to ask who this guest was when her eyes snapped sharply to a point across the room from her. Torin turned in his chair, finding himself face to face with Cronus. The god looked from Torin to Isolde. Torin watched as the god's eyes traveled over Isolde's form, taking in the girl's appearance. Torin had seen that look in Maddox's, Lucien's, and Reyes' eyes when they looked at their women. He knew exactly what was going through Cronus' head and let out a growl.

Isolde looked down at Torin and shook her head. He leaned back in his chair, but it didn't make him any happier about the fact that Cronus was checking Isolde out.

"Is there something we can help you with?" Isolde asked.

"From the looks of it, you already know what I'm here for." Cronus told her.

"Perhaps." Isolde replied, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs.

Cronus' eyes followed her legs until Isolde leaned froward to cross her arms on her top knee. His eyes went up to her face then, meeting her eyes.

"You can stop staring. The scrolls, Cronus." Isolde told him.

Torin inwardly laughed at the look on Cronus' face. Isolde really did know how to get under people's skin, be they human, immortal, god, or something else completely. Cronus gave her a dirty look that didn't even begin to phase her.

"I see you still insist on speaking to me in such a manner." Cronus growled.

"We've talked about this. I'm not inclined to change how I speak. Now can we help you or not?" Isolde replied.

Cronus glared at her and Torin was sure he was going to smite her or something. But, low and behold, Cronus let it go. Instead he produced a couple of old scrolls which were handed over to Isolde. Isolde handed one to Torin and opened one herself.

"What are these?" Torin asked.

"They are scrolls listing those possessed by demons. I want you and the rest of your comrades to find them. Use them to find and contain this Galen, understand? If you do not do as I say-"

"Than everyone we love will suffer." Isolde mocked, cutting off Cronus. "You really ought to find a new threat."

Cronus shot her another look but she was busy scanning the list before her. Her eyes picked out Viola's name as well as Scarlet's. When she had read the books, they had said there were tons of demon-possessed immortals. Isolde didn't realize just how many that was until she looked at the scrolls. And just like the book said, there were several blank lines. Isolde, though, knew why.

"I want Galen found and dealt with." Cronus ordered.

"Yeah well that was already on our to-do list." Isolde replied.

"You best learn to control you tongue before the next time we meet." Cronus said, turning his eyes on Isolde.

"Don't hold your breath. And you know, you'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar." Isolde told him idly.

Torin grinned to himself as he set aside his scroll. Though it was likely to get her in deep trouble with the god king, Torin couldn't help being a little amused with her.

"We'll get to it." Torin told Cronus before he could get too pissed with Isolde.

Cronus' eyes shifted to Torin and he calmed himself once more. Isolde peered up over the open scroll in her hands. Cronus gave a nodded, demanded they do as such, and vanished. The man was such a prick that he really got on Isolde's nerves.

"You know, you really shouldn't push him like that." Torin said looking up at Isolde.

"He won't do anything to me. He knows about my ability to know the future and he's too curious about my knowledge of his future to do anything to me." Isolde replied.

"Wait...he knows?" Torin asked, going serious as he looked at her.

"Yeah. He found out when we were going through that whole phase with Lucien and Anya. He's basically been watching my ass since. And creepily enough...that's actually literally." Isolde replied, rolling the scroll in her hands and setting it aside.

"You really should avoid him, baby girl. I don't like the way he looks at you and neither would the others." Torin told her seriously.

"I'm well aware. Don't worry about me, Wicked Man. I'll be careful." Isolde promised, giving him a smile.

"Hopefully so. Come on. We should tell the others about this." Torin told her, getting to his feet.

"I suppose so. Everyone should be out on the grounds, training." Isolde said, hopping off the desk, glad she was wearing boots, rather than anything with a heel.

Torin pulled out his phone, sending a text before they headed off down to the others. Isolde walked at his side, a good two arms' length between them. Torin looked at her as they made their way down the stairs.

"Are things getting any better with Sabin?" Torin asked.

"Ha! Are you kidding? I swear that man hates me more than ever." Isolde replied.

"Even after helping him and his harpy?"

"Even after that. I'm starting to think he's going to spend the rest of our impossibly long lives hating me for something that's completely out of my control!"

Torin looked at Isolde as she reached back and rubbed the back of her neck, like she suddenly had a krick.

"Sabin always has been a mistrusting one." Torin told her.

"Yeah? He should have ended up with Baden's demon instead of Doubt." Isolde retorted sourly.

Torin wanted to tell her that it would change, but he wasn't exactly sure that it would. Sabin and Isolde fought like cats and dogs. He wasn't sure that would ever change. If it did...it would take something big to do the trick.

"Just hold in there." Torin told her as they made their way out the doors.

There they found Sabin standing on the side lines, watching the others as they trained. Sabin looked up at them as they came to a stop near him.

"Everyone's been so busy, I knew calling another meeting would do no good, so I've been trying to catch everyone individually." Torin told Sabin.

"Find something?" Sabin asked, his eyes flickering to Isolde, who was pretending not to pay attention.

"Oh, yeah. Found an obscure tabloid article about a school for gifted children in Chicago. Children who can lift cars, get people to do whatever they want simply by speaking and move faster than the eye can see. And get this. The entire thing was denied by the World Institute of Parapsychology." Torin told him.

"Hunter High. Just like our prisoner told us." Sabin said, his eyes widening.

"Yep. Can't be a coincidence, you know?" Torin replied.

"We need to search that facility."

"I agree. That's why I'm making arrangements for departure in two days. Some of you need to go, but some should stay and search for people listed on the scrolls. I just need to know who's doing what." Torin said.

"Wait. Scrolls?" Sabin asked.

"Cronus just paid me a visit and wasn't too happy to find Isolde there before him."

Sabin looked at Isolde who was trying to pull back her hair. She cursed lowly under her breath when the wind pulled strands free and whipped them about her face. She snagged them back and secured the whole mass with a rubber band.

"I tried to summon him, but he ignored me." Sabin said.

"Lucky you." Torin replied.

"What'd he say?" Sabin asked.

"You know the drill. 'Do as I command or I'll torture everyone you love'." Torin replied, doing an impression of Cronus' superior and arrogant tone.

"Pretty spot-on impression there." Isolde praised.

"Thanks." Torin said, giving her a smile.

"Yeah, but what'd he order you to do? Find people, you said?" Sabin asked.

"I'll get to that." Torin promised. "You know he wants Galen dead as much as we do, right, since Danika predicted Galen will be the one to kill him? Well, the scrolls he gave me provide a list of names. Names of other demon-possessed immortals. You won't believe how many there are. There are blank lines, though, as if several names were erased. Weird, huh? Think that means they somehow died?"

"Maybe. Someone could tell us, but I doubt she will." Sabin remarked.

"Not right now, I can't. I can tell you, though, that I did recognize a few names. Names that will be popping up in your future to drive you insane." Isolde said, a grin on her face.

"Joy." Sabin said sourly.

"Anyway, Cronus thinks we can find our brethren and use them to contain Galen once and for all. They can help us lock him up, stop him from causing trouble." Torin said, jumping back into the conversation.

"They were prisoners, which means even the gods couldn't control them. We can't trust them enough to use them. Besides, much as we want Galen dead, we all know how dangerous it would be to unleash his demon on the world. But what's to stop these strangers from doing just that?" Sabin said, shaking his head.

"Point taken. And yeah, we're merciful enough to allow him to keep his head for now, but Galen might not reciprocate in kind. These men are exactly the kind of creatures he would want for his army, which means we still need to find them before he does." Torin said.

"I don't know about that."

Both men looked down at Isolde as she stretched her arms out before her, popping her knuckles as she did.

"Meaning?" Sabin asked.

"Some of them do, eventually, end up on our side and some...well they're just asses. It depends on which ones you run into." Isolde said.

"That's so vague." Sabin complained.

"I never said I was detailed." Isolde replied.

Sabin grumbled under his breath, scrubbing a hand down his face while Torin chuckled. Sabin shot Torin a look and the white haired man held his hands up in innocence.

"That aside, we also have to find the remaining artifacts, and they seem a little more important at the moment." Sabin said.

"We can't find them if we're overrun by immortal kids determined to destroy us. So, first and foremost, we have to find that school and neutralize the threat. You staying or going?" Torin asked.

"I'm-"

Sabin trailed off, his eyes snagging on Gwen. Isolde on the other hand was busy watching Bianka and Strider as they threw punches at each other. She snorted and nearly died of laughter when Bianka first broke his nose and then kicked him in the balls. It was suddenly on between the two, but Isolde couldn't get over the look on Strider's face. She didn't know what it was, but something about watching a man getting hit in the balls always made her die of laughter. Bianka gave her a grin and a wink when she heard Isolde laughing.

Strider wasn't so inclined to grin about it.

"Who do you have lined up so far?" Sabin asked Torin.

"You're the first person I've as-"

"Me." Isolde said, cutting Torin off and making the two men look at her. "I'll be going."

Sabin heaved a sigh. He had a good idea what that meant for him since Isolde had said that she was sticking to him.

"That means I'm going, doesn't it?" Sabin asked.

"You answer that question for yourself." Isolde replied.

Sabin scrubbed a hand down his face. He knew it. But it was a good thing. This way he didn't have to feel bad about his choice of leaving Gwen behind.

"I'll go then. Get me five other warriors, aside from Isolde. I'll try to get us a Harpy." Sabin told Torin.

Torin nodded and took off, leaving Isolde behind with Sabin. Sabin turned to Isolde who was currently using one of her knives to clean out from under her nails. He eyed her as she carefully worked the knife tip under one nail.

"I don't suppose I could talk you into staying behind with Gwen, could I?" he asked her.

"Do you honestly think Gwen needs **my** protection? You're already planning on leaving two of her sisters behind. Believe me, two harpies are more than a match for anything that could possibly come looking for Gwen. And Gwen's not as much of a push-over as you think." Isolde told him.

"So that's a no?"

"Yeah, that's a no."

Sabin growled under his breath, but decided to leave it at that. He headed forward, towards Kaia and Gwen, snapping at Kaia about taking it easy on Gwen. Isolde watched in amusement as the two went at it, Kaia threatening Sabin and managing to make Gwen go Harpy. Sabin, Kaia, Bianka, and Taliyah all turned to Gwen when she let out a high squawk.

"Are you freaking kidding me? I think she's going to attack me. What'd I do?" Kaia asked.

"Threatened her man. You know better. I hope she claws her way to your spine." Taliyah said.

Isolde shook her head. She dropped to sit where she was standing, crossing her legs and heaving a yawn.

"She's not going to touch anyone. Just watch." Isolde said, making all three of Gwen's sisters look at her.

Isolde was proven right when Sabin managed to talk Gwen down. Sabin took over Gwen's training from there. Eventually, as the two fought, the others gathered around to watch them. Some threw popcorn, others made bets. Isolde just sat there and watched, her eyes tracking their movements. After failed attempt after failed attempt, Sabin came to the genius idea of unleashing Gwen's harpy.

Isolde knew the moment Sabin decided he wasn't going to Chicago.

Of course, that choice didn't stop him from using Doubt to urge Gwen's Harpy out from hiding. Isolde had no hopes of tracking Gwen as she moved, slamming into Sabin, and taking him for a little ride through the trees. The others stared in shock, but Isolde simply pushed herself to her feet, dusting off the back of her shorts.

"What the hell just happened?" Strider asked.

"You might want to leave them alone. I'm pretty sure Sabin will kill anyone who interrupts them at the moment." Isolde said, making everyone look at her.

"You mean they're-"

Reyes cut off when Isolde made a face.

"You know, it's great knowing what's coming and all...but I really could do without the knowledge of when you people have sex. The mental images are really starting to fuck with my brain. That goes for the harpies too. I can do without the mental mind fucks." Isolde told them, turning to head back inside. "Might as well call an end to training for now."

The others watched her go, humming to herself as she did.

"I'm going to feel like she's watching us every time we're in bed now." Danika remarked.

The thought was shared by them all. The last thing any of them wanted was to know that Isolde also knew all about their sex lives.

Talk about creepy.


	29. Loyalty

Author's Note: Hello, everyone. I am back with another chapter. I'm getting closer to chapter that I am afraid to admit, I had pre-planned. So I won't take too long this time. Please enjoy and review. I do not own Lords of the Underworld or any of its characters.

Chapter 29 Loyalty

Sabin was starting to grow a bit annoyed with his friends. Several people-warriors, females, and harpies alike-decided to come by his room while Gwen was sleeping. He shut the door in each of their faces. Much to the displeasure of Gwen's sisters. Just when visitors were starting to taper off, there was another knock on the door. Sabin opened the door to find Isolde on the other side, a tray of her home cooking in her hands.

"We're busy." Sabin told her.

"Yeah, don't even try to pull that BS with me. I know better. She's asleep." Isolde retorted. "And that's grand. I just brought you some food, is all."

Isolde handed over the tray in her hands. Sometimes Sabin really didn't know what to say to Isolde. That she knew Gwen was asleep, meant she knew what had happened in the woods. It was bad enough that she knew so much about him. It was worse that she also knew about his sex life. He took the tray from her, though, and didn't say anything.

"I also know you aren't going to Chicago." Isolde added.

"That's right. Are you still go, even knowing that?" Sabin asked.

"Of course I am. I already said I would, didn't I? I'm not going to go back on my word. I'm not as slimy as you think I am." Isolde told him, half turning away from him.

Sabin so wasn't going to argue with her. He always lost when he argued with her. Something else he really hated. And not just with her. He hated losing arguments in general.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'll be out of your hair soon enough. Be glad. You don't need me for whatever is going to go on here. Not that you want my help, anyway." Isolde told him, turning to leave, the last sentence muttered.

He could have sworn he heard hurt in her tone and damn it all if it didn't make him feel a little bit slimy.

"Isolde."

Isolde half turned back to him, raising one eyebrow at him in questioning. She didn't show any emotion on her face or in her eyes. Like she had carefully blanked herself.

"Remember to watch your back. You tend to forget in the heat of battle." he told her.

"Yeah, sure."

With that Isolde turned and headed off down the hall. Damn him if Sabin wasn't starting to soften towards her. It had to be Gwen's influence on him. That was the only way it would happen. Whatever the reason, he just hoped she didn't come home so injured she had Lucien and Anya worried so bad they refused to leave her side.

Kane too.

And Paris.

There were several warriors in the fortress that would be too worried to do anything. So that was his reason for not wanting her to get hurt.

Isolde didn't pay any of it a lick of attention. Instead she returned to getting ready for the trip to Chicago. She would have to leave Kane behind, she knew, and she apologized to him for that. Not that he held it against her. Disaster did, though, and she ended up apologizing to the demon too.

She left, two days later, with the others and boy did it suck.

They spent days searching for the right building. Isolde knew it was there, knew what was hiding it, and that it was being hidden, but she couldn't, for the life of her, locate it with her own eyes. It really sucked. It took Lucien following human after human in spirit form, to finally locate the building. He then tagged it with his own blood and they all ended up camping out in a construction site across the street from the building. Anya eventually joined them, though she quickly grew bored.

"We've been watching the place for over an hour, our guy has already left empty-handed and there's been no other movement. I think it's abandoned. But I'm sensing chaos. A freaking lot of chaos." Anya said.

Isolde knew why. Of course she did. She also knew it was a trap. One she personally loathed walking into since completely dark places gave her too many flashbacks for her peace of mind. That being that, it was necessary for the progress of the plot. She was just going to have to suck it up and deal with it with her big girl panties on.

"Couldn't possibly be witches and their spells." Gideon said.

"Witches. Of course. Why didn't I think of that? I've had a run-in or two thousand with them over the years. Talk about abusers of power. Wonder how they'll feel when I abuse mine and use their black hearts as our table's new centerpiece." Anya said.

"You are not getting a witch's heart near my cooking. Or even in my kitchen." Isolde piped in sourly.

Anya grinned at her. Isolde was always so serious about her cooking. And her kitchen. When she talked like that, it took away from her intimidation. Not that Isolde really cared about that.

"Perhaps I should ghost inside." Lucien suggested.

"No. We talked about this. Something's wonky with that building, and I don't even want your spirit in it. And now that witches might be involved...hell, no." Anya told him.

"I could scout inside in my shadows." Isolde offered.

"Oh hell, fucking no! There's no way in hell you're going in there by yourself." Anya snapped, rounding on her adopted daughter with a fierceness that never ceased to amaze Isolde.

"Got it, got it. Jeez, bite my head off why don't you." Isolde muttered, holding up her hands in surrender.

"So let's keep standing here, doing nothing." Gideon said.

Which meant he wanted to charge in, guns blazing.

Peachy.

"We didn't survive a bomb a while back. So we damn sure can't survive anything else they throw at us. Even spells." Gideon asked.

"Speak for yourself. I'm still testing the waters here. I have no fucking idea what spells would do to me." Isolde remarked.

She said that, but Gideon had only to look at her to know that come hell or high water...she was going in that building. And she would do it gladly because that was what her family needed of her. Gideon looked at her now. Isolde was sitting on a pile of metal beams, tossing a knife up and down, catching it with ease. Rocking her ass-kicker clothes in all black and sporting colorful feathers pinned into her hair gave her an edgy look that Gideon always loved. Above that though, she looked ready to kick some ass.

"I have an idea. Ashlyn found the immortals for the Hunters. Hell, she probably found the witches for them. So we'll just have her find one for us. Our witch can undo whatever spell their witch cast, if it's actually a spell we're dealing with, and boom, victory." Strider said from where he stood beside Isolde.

Isolde reached down and popped Strider lightly on the back of the head, making him look up at her in questioning.

"Do you have any idea how long that could take? And Maddox would never allow it." Isolde told him.

"She is right. Time is not our friend right now. We need these kids out of our enemy's hands. We need to return to searching for the box." Lucien agreed.

"But, baby," Anya started.

"I'll be fine, love. I won your heart, I can do anything." Lucien assured her, giving her a lingering kiss that made Isolde feinge choking herself.

The other men grinned as she pretended to pass out from said choking and fell side ways off her perch, Strider catching her effortlessly before she hit the ground, sitting her on her feet. Lucien gave her a look before vanishing. Anya simply sighed.

"Gods, that man revs my engine." Anya remarked.

"So glad to hear it." Isolde remarked, stretching her arms over her head as she stepped up beside Amun.

Without a word, she linked an arm through his and leaned into the man's side. Some of the tension that had been following the warrior since their trip to Egypt, seemed to leave him as the voices in his head were calmed. Isolde had that effect on him and she always knew just when he needed a little help in handling them.

"Quick, someone distract me. I'm bored." Anya declared.

Everyone, save Isolde, groaned. A bored Anya equaled trouble, but Isolde handled trouble better than most. Her adopted mother was no different. She simply just ignored the goddess in favor of watching the building Lucien was currently inside of.

"We totally could not play How Am I Going To Kill The Hunters." Gideon suggested.

"I'll stab them." Reyes said.

"I'll shoot them...in the groin." Strider added.

"I'll snap their necks, then make them watch me cut out their intestines." Anya said, rubbing her hands together. "No need to tell us you'd kiss them, Gideon. We already know."

Gideon flipped each of them off as chuckles sounded from the others. That is...until Isolde spoke.

"I'd rip them open and then hang them with their intestines. Make them into a Hunter pinata."

An image that had grins lighting the faces of those present. They had no doubt that, when pissed off, Isolde would do it and then let them each take turns wacking the new pinata.

"I know what we can do. Let's take bets on how Sabin's doing with the Harpy." Reyes suggested.

"Man has balls, that's for sure. Gwen's pretty, but anyone who can rip out your throat..."

Strider cut off with a shudder. Isolde would have loved to tell him that he ended up with a harpy as well, but she kept her mouth shut. It would have been funny to see his face though.

"Hey! That wasn't Gwen's fault. Not that I think there's anything wrong with preforming a throat extraction on a Hunter. Anyway, the way I hear it, she was scared. You don't scare a Harpy and live to brag. That's, like, one of the first things they teach you in deity school. The entire race is just violent by nature. I mean, you've met Gwen's sisters, right?" Anya said.

Everyone but Isolde shuddered at this. Isolde was aware of their ability to kill, but they couldn't kill what they couldn't touch. Right? Isolde could make it where they couldn't touch her. At least for a short while. After that, she was fucked just like the rest of the warriors.

"Sabin is a lucky bastard." Gideon remarked.

"Better watch it. Or you're going to be fated to love a female far worse than a Harpy. The gods are fun that way." Anya told him, managing to freak Gideon out.

"Do you know something?" he asked.

"Maybe." Anya teased.

"Don't you dare tell me!" Gideon insisted.

"I'd absolutely tell you if I knew." Anya replied.

"Don't freak him out. The future girlfriends of a lot of these lovable lugs of ours are going to be a lot worse than Gwen." Isolde remarked, making all the single men present turn on her with wide eyes.

Isolde was idly staring ahead, pretending she didn't know they were looking at her. She was saved from having to answer any questions when Lucien appeared, looking confused.

"The place is furnished but abandoned. No paperwork, but I did see clothing strewn about. Sizes only children can wear. Must have left in a hurry." Lucien remarked.

"That means we're too late, that we made the trip for nothing." Strider said, rubbing his temple.

"There are strange markings on the wall, though. I could not decipher them. I want to flash you in one at a time so if the outside area is still being monitored, we won't be spotted. Surely someone among us will have seen the markings before and know what they mean." Lucien added.

"I'll take care of myself." Isolde said, vanishing into her shadows.

She appeared inside the building and looked around. Lucien appeared with each warrior soon after. It was always amusing for her to watch the warriors after they had been flashed. Gideon swayed like a drunkard, looking like he was so dizzy he would pass out any minute. Strider was laughing as Reyes, pale in the face, clutched his stomach like he was about to heave. Anya and Amun looked unaffected, Anya dancing around the room.

"This way." Lucien called.

He lead them down corridors with gray walls. Bedrooms branced off the halls with fifteen beds to a single room. Classrooms mixed in with those. Lucien lead them right to the gymnasium with it's one mirrored wall and one wall painted in several different colors.

"It's lovely." Gideon remarked, looking at the colored wall.

"It's also a spell, as we suspected." Anya added.

"I've seen this before. In the books I used to learn more about Anya." Reyes said.

"Oh, Panie. Your interest still flatters me, but really, get over your crush. I'm taken. Now about the spell. They definitely used the old language. Though they added their own flare, and I'm having trouble deciphering certain words. That one means dark, that one means power, and that one...helpless, I think." Anya said.

"I don't want to leave now." Gideon said.

"The lying is already getting on my nerves." Reyes remarked with a sigh.

"I care. I do. My heart is actually hurting for you. And just so you know, I can go without lying just like you can go without cutting yourself." Gideon retorted.

"Enough bickering, children. We all already know you can't help what your demons make you do." Isolde said.

The men turned to look at Isolde. The girl's voice was tense and her body language reflected that. She was stiff as a board, her eyes darting around. She knew what was coming and she absolutely hated it. They could see it in the way she stood. Before any of them could question her, Anya gasped and backed away from the wall, trembling.

"Oh my gods. Flash us, Lucien. Now. All of us, if possible." Anya demanded.

"Too late." Isolde said, her voice so small and breaking on the end that it sent chills through them all.

None of them had heard her speak like that. And she was right. Metal shade fell over the window, casting them into pitch darkness. Resounding thuds sounded through-out the building as more of those shades fell over the rest of the windows in the building. The dark, the moment it fell over Isolde, brought back flashbacks from her childhood. Days, upon days, spent locked away in a tiny, dark space, with no way to tell how much time had passed.

It had her heart leaping up into her throat, her breathing becoming labored.

"Lucien." Anya called.

"I'm here, baby, but I can't flash. I can't seem to force my body to dematerialize anymore. It's like there's some sort of a magnetic shield locking my spirit to my body." Lucien replied.

"There is. Magic. I activated it the rest of the way when I read the spell aloud." Anya admitted.

"What do the designs mean?" Strider asked.

"Most of it is the spell, locking us in the dark, our powers gone, our bodies helpless. The last line, though, is a message to all of you. It says, Welcome to hell, Lords of the Underworld. You'll be here until you die." Anya replied.

Isolde wasn't listening to a single bit of the conversation. She tried to calm herself, tell herself she wasn't where her brain was trying to trick her into believing she was. But it did nothing to calm her. Isolde barely heard anything over the mixture of her own memories and the screaming of the demons. Each of the demons of the warriors around her, were screaming, freaking out because they thought they were back inside Pandora's box. Add that to her own horrific memories and it was all Isolde could do just keep her breathing even.

She only remained calm because she knew the others would be in a bad position. Having basically lost this round with the Hunters, Strider was hit hard with pain, that had him doubled up somewhere on the floor. They tried prying open the shutters, which didn't work, and Anya even hit the walls with tornadoes, only managing to hurt Isolde and the men. Isolde couldn't use her shadows to travel, barely was able to make them move to her will. Her connection to the demons was still in perfect shape, though.

Anya stuck to Lucien, cooing to him as he started moaning and groaning. Reyes would say Danika's name now and then, but other wise was quiet. Amun would growl or snarl, giving Isolde a chance to locate him every time he made a noise. As to where Gideon was, she didn't know. He was silent.

Isolde couldn't stay still to save her life. She paced from one wall to the other, her constant footsteps bouncing off the walls. That pacing, though, did nothing to make her less edgy. So she decided to turn her attention to someone else. If she didn't dwell on herself, she could get through it. So Isolde dropped to the floor and felt her way around the floor, until she found Strider. Carefully, she lift his head into her lap, soothing back his hair from his face. The least she could do was offer him some comfort when he was in pain.

And keep him from banging his head into the wall.

He didn't need anymore brain damage.

Isolde wasn't sure how long they were in that darkness. Even the books didn't give an exact time. Having spent a lot of time in her past in a small, dark space, Isolde wasn't so much effected by the darkness as she was by the horrible memory and the constant screaming in her head from the demons. It would do her in if the lights didn't come back on soon.

"I'm going to look for a way out again." Anya announced suddenly.

Isolde picked up the rustle of clothes and the click of Anya's heels on the floor. Then there was a low thump as Anya knocked into Strider. Isolde reached out and grabbed her ankle to keep her from stepping on Strider or her.

"Sorry. Who'd I hit?" Anya asked.

"I need-Help. Help me. Please." Strider asked.

Isolde leaned forward, cooing lowly to him as she stroked his hair. Strider latched onto her arm, gripping her painfully tight, but she let him. She felt more than heard Amun as he settled next to her, checking on his friend.

"A warning would have been awful, Iso." Gideon said suddenly.

"What part of "must happen for a reason", don't you people get?" Isolde retorted, though there was no fire in her voice.

Gideon, hearing the put out tone in her voice, dropped it there. She was barely doing better with their current situation than they were. A bang and then a scrape made Isolde raise her head.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Is it my birthday?" came a voice over some kind of stero system.

Anya hoofed it back to Lucien and Isolde latched onto one of Strider's hands and one of Amun's. Lights flickered on forcing Isolde to release both and cover her eyes until they could adjust to the sudden light after so long in the dark. She glanced around when she could see once more. Anya was protectively holding onto Lucien, Reyes was slumped against a wall, and Gideon was sitting not from from Isolde. Amun was knelling next to her, Strider pillowed in her lap. Isolde knew the voice, having listened to the man taunt Sabin before.

"I wondered who had tripped my silent alarm. Had to take care of your friends in Buda before I could return here, though. We've been hoping you'd come here, ever since that article was published. I see our denial of this facility's existence had the desired effect and convinced you there was no way this could be a trap." Stefano said.

"Come in here. I dare you." Reyes challenged.

"Why should I? I can starve you, watch you waste away. I can poison your air, watch you suffer. And I can do all of those things without ever touching your filthy bodies." Stefano replied.

"Let the women go. They've done nothing to you." Lucien demanded.

"Hell, no. I stay here." Anya said.

"There's no way in hell I'm leaving either." Isolde added.

"How sweet. They want to stay with their demons. Well, I think I'll remove them. Just for you, Death. I don't think you'll like what I do to them, though. Especially since my boss wants a word with your little zebra streaked girl there." Stefano taunted.

Isolde looked up, shocked. What did Galen want with her? Lucien on the other hand went into a crouched position, snarling, his gun ready.

"Try." he demanded.

Isolde eased Strider out of her lap, the man trying to keep a grip on her wrist, but she easily pulled out of his grip as she stood. Amun reached up, grabbing hold of her wrist. He shook his head when she looked at him. All of their attention turned as a young boy walked through the wall, looking between Anya and Isolde.

"Come with me. Please." he told them.

"Neat trick. You sent a child into the lion's den. Cowardly, don't you think? And do you really think your little pet can force me and my own daughter to do something we don't want to do?" Anya taunted.

"Yes, I can. But there's no need to engage in violence." the boy replied.

Isolde shook Amun's hand off her wrist and stepped up beside Anya.

"We said no." Isolde told the child.

The boy looked at her with all seriousness, but Isolde wasn't going to back down. Lucien stepped up in front of them, shoving them both behind him. Gideon stepped up beside him. The others joined them, forming a protective wall around the two women.

"Come. Please. I don't want to hurt you." the boy said.

"Isn't he wonderful? I do hope you like him, my newest weapon against you. I didn't plan to use him for a while yet. Then you had to venture into Egypt and steal my incubators. Incubators I will find and use again. Especially the one our friend Sabin so favors." Stefano said with a laugh.

"So glad to hear from you, Stefano. This is wondrous even for you." Gideon called out.

"Ahh, Lies. A delight, as always. How tedious your demon must be. But I have good news for you. We've found a way to draw the demons from your bodies and place them inside someone else. Someone weaker, someone who will accept their imprisonment for the good of mankind. Which is what we've already done to Sabin. After we defeated him, of course. He put up quite a fight, Sabin did, but in the end he fell. Just. Like. You." Stefano replied.

Isolde stood back to back with Anya, not really able to see past the wall of muscle around them. But she knew Stefano was lying.

"You don't believe me. That's fine. You will when it happens to you. Besides, why do you think your friend isn't here, saving you?" Stefano added.

Gideon punched the wall and then punched it again and again. Isolde heard his bones crack as it continued to hit it.

"Poor Lies. Without a leader. Whatever will you do now?" Stefano taunted.

Gideon snapped, then. Lies yelled at Gideon, it's voice loud in Isolde's own head as the next words left Gideon's mouth.

"Fuck you! I'll kill you. Fucking kill you. You will die by my hand, motherfucker!" Gideon yelled.

The weight of his truth hit him painfully in the gut. Isolde darted forward, wrapping an arm around Gideon as his knees gave out. She helped ease him to the floor. His knife skidded out of his hand and across the floor, one of his hands gripping Isolde's shoulder tightly.

"Hate...you...Hate you to the depths of my soul." Gideon gritted out.

"Gideon, that's enough." Isolde cooed to him.

"Ly-ing. He's...lying...Sabin...alive."

The words left Amun's mouth, sounding raw and strained. The first words he had spoken in centuries.

"You don't know that. You weren't there. He's dead, I promise you." Stefano insisted.

"Liar!" Isolde snapped, looking up. "You can't fool me, Stefano. I know you are lying. You can't lie about the future to me. Sabin is alive and that knowledge is eating you up inside."

Isolde heard a low growl from the intercom system before Amun roared and fell to his knees as well. He had spoken and it was like opening the floodgates. Every secret he had gained in the last couple of hundreds of years, spilled out of him, his voice changing with each knew secret. Murders, rapes, abuse and lies. So many different secrets, none of which were his own.

Then came Darla's voice.

"He didn't love me anymore, even though I did everything for him. Cooked and cleaned and slept with him even when I was too tired. All he cared about was his precious war. Though he still found time to screw our whore of a neighbor, over and over again. He treated me like I was garbage!"

"How are you projecting that voice? That's Darla's voice. How, damn you?" Stefano demanded. "Shut him up. Shut him up right now!"

The little boy rushed to do as told. Isolde turned to warn Lucien and Reyes not to touch the boy but it was too late. The child misted right through their grip and they both screamed in agony. Both dropped into twitching piles of flesh. Anya crouched behind them, ready to pounce if the boy tried to touch them again. Isolde released Gideon when he forced himself to a stand, using her shoulder as a crutch until he had his feet under him. He had to hunch over to keep from throwing up, but he grabbed a dagger with one hand and held it out in warning.

"Don't touch him." Anya shouted at the boy, flames shooting from her fingers. "I have power in this realm and the other. Touch him, and you'll burn. Trust me. I won't hesitate. I've done worse."

Isolde, her abilities suffering as Anya's were, barely got her shadows to twist about her. The boy stared at her with wide eyes, those puppy dog eyes following her shadows. Normally Isolde wouldn't threaten a child, but she wasn't going to let this one hurt someone else.

"There are two liars in the room, I see. I don't care what powers you and your supposed daughter have. That boy is the son of a necromancer, able to live and walk among the dead. He can enter each world at will and nothing and no one can touch him while he's in the other." Stefano said.

"I sleep with a necromancer, you idiot. Lucien can walk among the dead himself. And my daughter walks in the shadow realms. Plus, I'm Anarchy and I have no mercy. Your pet comes any closer and you'll get to see us both in action." Anya promised.

Isolde knew Anya was bluffing. Isolde herself didn't have the power to even fade into shadow at the moment. Besides...Anya didn't have it in her to hurt a child. Neither did Isolde for that matter. She claimed she was no good with children, but she couldn't hurt one. The boy was innocent after all. Just doing as he was told to avoid trouble. Gideon reached out grabbing Anya's wrist then.

"I would find no joy in taking care of this." he told her.

"I-I-yes." Anya agreed, before dragging Lucien away from the boy.

Isolde eased a still babbling Amun away from the boy, an arm around his waist. Stefano demanded the boy shut him up. The boy met Isolde's two-tone gaze then and something flashed across her eyes making the boy sink in his shoes. She wouldn't hurt him, not in an abusive way, but she could, and would, give him the spanking of his short life.

"I won't make the warrior be quiet." Gideon said.

The boy seemed to understand and gratefully backed off. Gideon took Amun from Isolde, whispering into the warrior's ears. Slowly Amun's voice tapered off until he was just muttering under his breath. Isolde stuck close to them. Anya stepped up on Gideon's other side, wrapping an arm around his waist and making him turn to her.

"I've been thinking. I'll willingly go with the brat." Anya said lowly.

"Me too." Isolde agreed.

"Yes." Gideon said, shaking his head no.

Anya drew Gideon close to whisper into his ear.

"Out of this room, our strength might fully return. We could finally take Stefano out together." Anya told him.

Gideon looked between the two. Both were determined. Mother and daughter even if they weren't blood related.

"Time for you to leave your men. Don't worry, after I'm done with you I'll let you return and tell them all about it." Stefano announced.

"Come. I will force you if I must." the boy said, waving his hand.

"Anya get ready to kick someone." Isolde told the goddess.

Anya gave her a questioning look before Gideon spoke up, demanding he be taken in place of Anya and Isolde. It kicked into Anya's brain what Isolde meant. She grabbed Gideon's arm and shoved him to the ground, kicking him in the stomach. Gideon threw up then.

"See? He's in no condition to talk. You'll take us, or no one." Anya said, standing next to Isolde.

"Bring all three of them." Stefano demanded.

The boy turned his eyes on the women. Instead of heading for Anya first, he stepped right up to Isolde and right into her. Isolde felt her skin prickle, her inside shifting weirdly, before her body moved of it's own accord. The feeling was one that Isolde instantly rebelled against. She had had control taken out of her hands for far too long to go with this now. The boy was finding it harder and harder to remain in place inside of her. It was almost like shadows were over coming him, trying to force him out.

Stefano was waiting outside the room when the boy forced Isolde to step out. The moment the door closed, the boy could no longer hold Isolde. He was kicked out of her and Isolde staggered back, fighting to regain her footing. Stefano didn't give her a chance. In her state of disorientation, he stabbed her in the neck with a needle. Whatever he had just injected her with, had her knees giving out from under her and she crumpled to the floor.

"You'll pay for throwing me out that window, demon whore." Stefano told her, before everything went black.

-0-0-0-0-

When Isolde came awake, it was slowly and to the feeling of mugginess and grogginess. She found herself propped in a chair, her shoulders bound to the back of the chair, her wrist to the arm-rests, and her ankles to the legs of the chair. Her chin was resting on her chest, her hair falling around her and blocking her face from view. She kept her breathing even and didn't move, not yet ready to let anyone know she was awake. She didn't know how long she had been out but she was pretty sure she had been stripped of her weapons in the time she had been out of it.

She listened closely to the room around her but didn't hear anything except Gideon's distant screams as they tortured him. It made her chest ache to hear the man scream in agony like that. Believing herself alone in the room, Isolde shifted, raising her head.

She found herself seated in the center of a small, bare room with only one more chair seated directly across from her. One door across the room was closed and more than likely locked. Shifting her legs and twisting, she didn't feel the poke and prod of any of her weapons. They had taken them alright. But that wasn't what annoyed Isolde. What annoyed her was the effects whatever drug Stefano had shot into her, was still having on her.

She couldn't make her shadows work.

She was trying to twist out of her restraints when the door opened. Stefano stepped into the room, meeting her glare with one of his own. He swung the door shut and approached her. Isolde had a good idea on what to expect before his left fist hit her in the face, whipping her head to the side.

"Did you think I forgot that you threw me out of a window?" Stefano asked.

"I really don't care what the hell you remember. I'm not sorry for what I did." Isolde retorted.

Earning herself another punch across the face from the opposite fist.

Both of her cheeks stung and felt hot. Any harder of a punch and he might have split the skin over her cheek bones. As it was, she just knew she was going to have bruises, if only that. Though the taste of blood filled her mouth from having her teeth rattled.

"Demon!" Stefano spat at her.

Isolde raised her head and, with well aimed accurancy, spit the blood in her mouth at him, hitting the front of his shirt.

"See that? That blood is red. Demons don't bleed red, they bleed black, you dumbass." Isolde snapped at him.

She saw the twitch in Stefano's eye, took pride in putting there. Of course this also earned her more hits across the face before Stefano siezed her by the hair, forcing her head back against the back of the chair. He had a knife in his other hand and Isolde had a pretty good idea on the amount of pain she was going to go through before this was done.

"Not a demon? Then how come the bruises are already fading from your face?" he asked.

"Immortals heal fast, moron." Isolde replied.

Before Stefano could do anything else to her, the door opened once more. With her head forced back as it was, Isolde couldn't see who it was but from the happy greetings she got from demons, she had a good idea on who it was.

"That's enough, Stefano. For now. Leave us."

Stefano released Isolde walking past Galen and out the door. Galen shut the door before turning to Isolde. He took hold of the chair and moved it closer to Isolde before dropping to sit in it, facing her. Two-toned eyes met blue as he stared at her.

"I don't believe I got your name the last time we met. You were too busy shooting me." Galen said, his tone patient.

"Why does my name matter. An enemy is an enemy." Isolde retorted. "No use splitting hairs."

"Perhaps, but I'm intrigued. Humor me." Galen replied.

Isolde didn't see anything bad in telling him her name. It wasn't like he was going to find any kind of record, anywhere, on her.

"Isolde."

"Isolde? It's a strong name."

"Flattery will get you kicked in the face."

Though it wasn't her intention, the comment put a small grin on Galen's face. She was so very glad to be amusement for him. If the sarcasm was clear, she would have to work on it.

"I take it you know who I am." Galen stated.

"Kind of hard not to. Your two demons won't shut the hell up."

Perhaps she shouldn't have said that last part. Knew she shouldn't have the moment it left her mouth. Galen's eyes widened and she inwardly cursed herself.

"You can hear them?" he asked, his voice lowering.

"Well no freaking duh. Wouldn't have said it if I couldn't. Jealousy and Hope. Nice combo you got there."

This seemed to amuse him, for a small grin tilted up the corners of his mouth. Though the last part made his grin appear bitter. Not that she blamed him for that part. One demon was a huge pain in the ass. Two had to suck balls.

"Just what are you?" he questioned.

"Still iffy on that one. I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to."

"You don't know?"

"I prefer to think of it as, I don't care."

Her smart-ass mouth wasn't having the same effect on Galen as it did on Sabin. Galen seemed to find it amusing. Sabin didn't.

"And Lucien and the others told you about me?" he asked.

"I don't need anyone to tell me anything. I know all." Isolde answered without thinking.

What the hell was wrong with her!? Normally she would have never given that up so easily. Not when she was tied to a chair with no way to escape. Galen's expression turned serious.

"What do you mean, you know all? As in, you know the future?" he asked.

"More like I know the past, present, and future of everyone I come in contact with and oh my gods, what the fuck did Stefano inject me with!?"

A grin curved Galen's lips up at the corners. He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. Isolde had a really bad feeling.

"Well it's nice to know that some forms of human drugs work on you. I have a feeling you and I have a lot to talk about." Galen said.

Isolde shut her mouth then and shook her head. There was no way in hell she was saying another word. She wasn't going to prove Sabin right. Galen reached out, siezing her by the chin to make her look at him. Unlike most people, who experienced a rush of false hope when they looked at him, Isolde only felt her stomach turn.

"You will speak. You will tell me what you know for I have a feeling, if you know what you say you know, that you know where the artifacts are and where Pandora's box is." he remarked.

Isolde forced herself not to speak. She wouldn't do it. Not now and not ever. Sabin would kill her as it was just for Galen now knowing about her knowledge of the future. And the gods only knew what else might come out of her mouth. She might go as far to tell him her panties were sapphire blue and she wasn't wearing a bra. Or something even worse. Galen only grinned in her face. She was in for pain, she was sure. And a lot of it.

Perhaps she shouldn't have shot him and thrown Stefano out a window...

No, that was fun.

Galen released her chin and got to his feet. Isolde watched him closely as he looked down at her. The look on his face promised her a world of pain.

"We'll see how long you're willing to keep your mouth shut." he told her, turning away from her.

When he opened the door, Stefano was waiting. Galen said something lowly to the other man before leaving, leaving Stefano behind. Stefano looked at Isolde and grinned, stepping into the room and closing the door.

Isolde sat up straight, glaring at him as he came at her, a needle in his hand. He looked more than happy to be doing this. When he reached her, he grabbed her by the hair once more, yanking her head back. Isolde eyed that needle. She was pretty sure she knew what was inside. More of that drug to block her abilities and make her tongue loose. She hissed when he jammed the needle into her neck, injecting the liquid inside into her bloodstream.

"Just enough to keep those nasty powers of your's under control while not knocking you out." Stefano said, throwing the needle aside before pulling a knife from his belt.

Isolde felt the tip of the blade come to her throat, the drug already further dulling her sense of the shadows. Try as she might, she couldn't get them to respond to her. This was going to be bad and she knew it. When the first slice of the blade-a straight upward cut from her belly button to her ribs-came, ripping her shirt, Isolde had no hopes of holding back a scream.

Bad wasn't even going to scratch the top of it.

She was in deep shit.

Each cut, each slice, every dig of the blade made her world turn first white with pain and then black as more of her blood spilled from her. Stefano asked her questions between each one and each and every time Isolde came up with a new way to tell him to go fuck himself or came up with a creative way to tell him to go suck Galen's dick.

Something that earned her extra pain.

She wouldn't tell them anything, knew she just had to hold out for Sabin and Gwen to get there. She could handle this pain, would handle it. Loyalty came first, not comfort. Loyalty to the family she had found, to the friends that welcomed her with open arms, to the men and women who loved her just as much as they loved each other, and, yes, loyalty to the asshole who insisted she was a liability, for, no matter how much he hated it, he was family as well.

So come hell or high water, and she was sure it would come to that, she was going to keep her mouth shut.

Suck on that Galen.

-0-0-0-0-

"Tell me, what's a goddess doing with a demon?"

Anya glanced at Galen where he stood on the other side of the cell, the little Ghost Boy, as Anya was calling him, at his side. Dressed in all white, Anya thought he was really over killing the whole angel bit. She didn't answer him right off the bat, though he didn't seem too bothered about that.

"Have you no answer, beauty?" Galen asked.

"I'm having fun, that's what." Anya retorted.

Her power was returning slowly and her mind was working over a plan. She just wished she knew what they had done with Isolde. She had not seen, nor heard a thing from her.

"You're feisty. I like that. Lucien is a lucky man. More than lucky. Such an ugly man capturing the heart of one such as you is nothing short of a miracle." Galen remarked.

"He isn't ugly. He's honorable and loving and wonderfully fierce." Anya replied.

"But he's a demon."

"Well, yeah. And so the hell are you." Anya retorted.

"No. I'm an angel, sent from the heavens to cleanse this earth of evil."

Anya laughed. She was sure that Isolde would been rolling on the floor laughing from the idiocy of that remark.

"That's a good one. Believing our own press, are we?" Anya asked.

"I won't argue my origins with a demon whore. Now, tell me what the Lords know of the two artifacts that remain missing." Galen said.

"Who says they're missing?" Anya asked, meaning to taunt him.

"True. For all you know, I have one."

Anya inwardly called him a bastard. Isolde would have known if he was lying or not and would have called him out on it if he was.

"If they had all four, they would not be here, at my mercy. They would be searching for the box. Or would have found it." Galen told her.

"Sure you have any mercy, angel?" Anya mocked.

"You're alive, aren't you?"

"But then, I'm sure you think you can use me in some way." Anya replied.

"Not necessarily. The other woman who came here with you, her name is Isolde, I believe...she seems able to supply me with all the answers I seek and more." Galen said.

Anya rounded on him then, her stomach twisting into knots. Galen knew about Isolde's knowledge of the future?

"What have you done with my daughter?" she demanded.

"Daughter, you say? Would this also make her Lucien's daughter? She claims not to know what she is." Galen said.

"She's our adopted daughter. What have you done to her?" Anya demanded again.

"We have a drug that has loosened her tongue and Stefano is currently...encouraging her to talk to us." Galen answered.

As if to prove his point, there was a sudden, loud and high pitched scream that echoed off the walls. Anya knew that voice even if it was screaming in pain. The bottom of her stomach gave out and she felt like her heart had suddenly shuddered to a screeching halt.

That was Isolde.

"You-"

Galen cut Anya off with a wave of his hand.

"I'm growing weary of you, goddess. Her torture will end if you tell me what I want to know. Or perhaps I should have Death brought in." Galen told her.

"Look, I'll talk to you, tell you everything you want to know, but only if you get rid of the kid. He annoys me." Anya told Galen, trying to remain calm, even when another of Isolde's screams split the air.

"I apologize if I gave you the impression that I'm foolish. He stays." Galen told her.

"Why do you hate the Lords so much, anyway? What'd they ever do to you?" Anya asked.

"A better question is this: why shouldn't I hate them? They want to ruin me. Therefore, I will ruin them first. All these years, we've only been able to injure them, too afraid of releasing their demons. If that happened, the gods would curse me anew. I've already been warned. But we're close, so close to changing that. Any day now I'll know if the demon of Distrust was able to bond with my female. If so...I will lead the most powerful army this world has ever seen." Galen replied.

"Your spineless servant seemed to think you'd use weaklings and lock them away for the good of this world."

"However would he get that idea?"

Anya threw him another glance and almost flinched when another scream cut straight through her. She silently begged Isolde to hold on.

"How did you find Distrust? How did you capture it, a crazed demon?" Anya asked.

"Unlike Amun, I'm not one to spill all my secrets." Galen replied.

"Well, until you do, I'm afraid I can't believe you."

"I'm devastated, of course." Galen replied.

"Let's see, let's see. If I were a cowardly, jealous demon pretending to be an angel and I wanted to find and control an evil spirit, I would...what? Have others do my dirty work, definitely. Maybe even use children-"

It suddenly clicked in Anya's head how Galen had found and contained the spirit of Distrust. He had used children with the abilities to see into the spirit realm. Like Ghost Boy.

"We'll take them from you. Prevent you from using them ever again. We've won every other battle with you. This will be no different. Isolde will never answer any of your questions, but help us. I mean, we even have a Harpy on our side now. Have you perchance heard of what a Harpy can do?" Anya asked.

"You will shut your mouth." Galen growled at her.

"And you know what's worse than a Harpy? Isolde when she's pissed and that's exactly what she's going to be when she gets free. She will rip out your insides with her bare hands, hang you with them and then use your own limbs to beat you like a pinata. And she'll laugh the whole time. And what's worse than Isolde? Cronus, the new god king. He wants you dead. Did you know that?" Anya asked.

"You lie." Galen insisted.

"Do I? The All-Seeing Eye-the Eye you lost to us-had a vision. In it, she saw you try and murder Cronus. now he's after you. I don't know why he hasn't killed you himself. I'm sure he has his reasons. But believe me, I've been his target. he won't leave you alone until he has what he wants." Anya replied.

"I would never hurt a Titan."

"Wouldn't you? You betrayed your closest friends."

The foundation rattled when Galen slammed a fist into the wall, his anger starting to get the best of him, just like Anya wanted.

"They weren't my friends." he snapped.

"Too bad they didn't realize that earlier. But no matter. They still managed to defeat you. Just as they'll defeat you every time you challenge them. It's science, after all. You're weaker."

Just a little more and he would try to strangle her. Of that, Anya was sure.

"Your precious Lucien wasn't strong enough to lead us, Zeus's elite army. He shouldn't have been placed in charge." Galen retorted.

"So rather than challenge him like an honorable solider, you convinced him to open Pandora's box, then told the gods of his decision to betray them? You formed an army of your own and tried to stop him. Nope, that's not cowardly at all."

Galen took two steps towards her but caught himself and thought better of it. Much to Anya's disappointment. She had been so close.

"I did what I had to do. A good soldier wins by any means necessary. Just ask your friend Sabin." Galen told her.

"Ah, but like I said, you didn't win, did you? Even though you knew what Lucien and others were going to do, you weren't able to stop them and prove them weak. You lost. You were made to look weak. you got cursed to house a demon inside you just like the others. You, you, you. How humiliating." Anya mocked.

"Enough!"

"Want to hit me? Does the sweet little angel want to cut out Anya's tongue? What would your followers think then, hmm? But I'm sure they've seen you do much worse. Or do you always have Stefano order that done, so you can appear merciful?"

"Stefano's not here, and I'm feeling merciful. But don't worry. This will only hurt for a second."

Anya didn't have the time to react before he swung a crossbow from between his wings and shot her in each shoulder, pinning her to the wall behind her. Pain bloomed through her as the blood poured from the wounds.

"I think it's time for Lucien to join our little party. He'll watch everything we do to you. Strip you, take you, hurt you. Let's see if he's strong enough to save you, shall we? Then, perhaps I'll take him to see your precious little daughter. I'm sure Stefano has made a coat of her skin by now." Galen told her.

"Touch him, or Isolde, and I'll eat your heart in front of you."

Galen had the balls to laugh at that. But the laugh was cut off, Galen looking up sharply, as there was a loud boom and the building shook. Anya grinned, nearly from ear to ear.

"Looks like the cavalry's here. I knew the others would come for us. I believe I mentioned the Harpy, yes?" Anya mocked.

Galen gave her a glare before turning to leave the room, ordering the boy to not let Anya leave the room if she managed to get down from the wall. He left the room and made a b-line for the room where Isolde was being kept. When he opened the door, he found blood splattered on the floor, bright and red. Isolde was a mess, her head hanging forward and her breathing coming in ragged, and wet, gasps. Stefano stood over her, a bloody knife in hand.

"Leave." Galen ordered.

Stefano threw a look at Isolde but did as ordered. Galen slammed the door shut and turned back to Isolde, who didn't move. If it wasn't for the forced breathing, he would have thought her dead.

"You can end this by telling me what you know." he told her.

"Go...fuck...yourself." came her low, raspy voice.

She sounded like someone had rubbed her throat raw with sand paper and she was having to stop every few words to drag in a wet and ragged breath that made it sound like there was a hole in her throat.

"Why do you protect them?" Galen questioned.

"My family...won't betray..." Isolde replied.

Galen didn't get it. Really he didn't. She was so loyal to them that she had even taken Stefano carving out her stomach instead of talking. The organ now sat on the floor beside her chair, useless and trampled on. Isolde wouldn't be eating for a while.

"You know...I understand more about you...then you might want." Isolde rasped, trying to take ragged breathes between the words.

Galen focused on her, scoffing under his breath. He highly doubted she knew anything about him, despite whatever she had said to the wiser. No one understood anything about him. He highly doubted this girl, who he had only met once before her capture, would know anything.

"Holding two demons...isn't easy. I know. I constantly...constantly have several of them...bouncing around in my head. And you...suffer from them...greatly. Hope giving you...so much false...hope. And Jealousy...makes you so jealous...of what the others...have. It's not easy...watching them find happiness. Sad thing is...I understand. It sucks...constantly being the one...that's left out. But...you have a shitty way...of dealing with...it." Isolde said.

Galen stared at her. She talked like she actually did know and understand what he felt and thought. But he wasn't going to entertain the idea. He just wanted his answers. Given her current state, he couldn't cart her off with him. She would die before he could get her anywhere secure. Especially since her friends were baring down on them.

"Even...in the heavens...you were jealous. The last one...created...the last one...thought about. Baden got...so much more...as the first one. It was...unfair of Zues...to just leave you...with the leftovers. I understand...more than you know."

Galen looked down at her, his jaw tightening. He felt anger at her words, but that was because he knew she was right. But anyone with knowledge of his past could guess at that. He wasn't going to let himself dwell on it. Her information was the only thing he wanted from her. Not her understanding. He leaned forward, laying a hand on the back of the chair so he could speak close to her ear.

"Whatever you think you know, you don't. But I will return for the information about the future that you have. Next time, your dear friends will not be able to save you." he promised her before he left.

Next time he would torture the information from her, himself if he had to.

-0-0-0-0-

Breaking into the Hunter base, Sabin had encounter more of the halfling children. He tranq-ed them all, laying them down in the shade to be taken away when they all left. He had then followed Gwen inside, finding her effectively dealing with Hunters. She calmed when she saw him.

"I found your friends. They're hurt, but alive. I released them, but three are missing. Gideon, Anya, and Isolde." Gwen told him.

Isolde? Sabin got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. If Galen found out about Isolde's knowledge than she would be spared no mercy.

"Anya? Gideon? Isolde?" he shouted, hoping one of them would hear him.

"Sabin? Sabin, is that you? It's about damn time. I'm back here. With a guard." came Anya's voice from down the hall.

Sabin left Gwen to deal with three more Hunters who had just reared their ugly heads and went to help Anya. He burst through five doors before he finally found Anya, staring down a little boy, her shoulders coated in blood.

"Sabin!" Anya greeted, trying to get around the boy.

"I have to keep her here." the boy said.

"Don't touch him, and don't let him touch you. You'll go down without warning." Anya warned Sabin as he reached for his tranq gun.

Lucien's voice sounded then, calling for Anya and Isolde.

"Lucien! Stay back, baby, but tell me you're okay? I have to know you're okay." Anya called back.

"I'm fine. You?" Lucien asked, coming up behind Sabin. "Oh gods. Your shoulders."

"Just a little scratch. Please tell me you found baby girl. Oh gods, please tell me she's alright. I heard her screaming and Galen said they were torturing her." Anya pleaded.

Sabin felt sick to his stomach and could feel the tension rolling off Lucien along with malice and killing intent. Someone was going to die a very painful death if Isolde had been harmed.

"We will find her." Lucien promised Anya.

Sabin, his hand still behind his back, handed his tranq gun over to Lucien.

"Not sure it'll go any good, but I'm going to leave you to it. Gideon and Isolde both are still missing." Sabin told him.

Lucien took the gun and let Sabin take off to find the two. Sabin ran down the halls, yelling the two's names. He pressed his ear to each door and finally heard a whimper. Sabin pried the door open and slipped inside, finding Gideon's bloody and broken form strapped to a gurney. Gideon was a mess, both of his hands cut completely from his arms.

"They'll grow back, I swear to gods they'll grow back." Sabin told the warrior, trying to free him of the bonds.

"Key. Not there." Gideon said, jerking his chin to a cabinet. "Didn't taunt me...with it."

Sabin snagged the key and got to work on the restraints.

"Save your strength, my friend." Sabin told him.

When Gideon was freed, Sabin picked him up and carried him into the hall. Strider came around the corner then. When he saw Gideon a savage cry fell from his lips.

"Is he..."

Strider couldn't even finish his sentence.

"He's alive." Sabin assured him. "Have you seen Isolde? She's still missing."

Strider shook his head.

"No, but Lucien's got Anya. He managed to tranq the kid guarding her. Reyes is somewhere in back. Stefano's called for retreat, but you'll never believe who's stuck around." Strider told him.

A loud cry of despair sounded from down the hall just then. The two of them took off, rounding a corner to find a door blasted open. When they came to the door, both froze. Lucien stood in the room, so white, his scars stood out vividly. Anya was knelling next to a blood splattered chair, something bundled up in her arms, crying as she rocked back in forth, chanting, "You'll be okay" lowly.

Blood covered the floor around the chair, a mangled stomach laying on the floor. It was then that Sabin's blood ran cold. The bloody mass in Anya's arm had zebra streaked hair. He nearly forgot he had Gideon in his arms and nearly dropped the man.

"Is that...is that Isolde?" Strider asked.

Lucien nodded stiffly as he moved to Anya's side, knelling in front of her to smooth Isolde's blood clotted hair away from her face. The girl wasn't conscious. It didn't even look like she was breathing.

"Is she-" Sabin cut off.

"No! No, no, no! She can't...but her heart beat is so slow!" Anya cried.

Lucien cupped the back of Anya's neck, pulling her forward to kiss her forehead, silently trying to assure her that Isolde would pull through. Isolde always pulled through.

"She'll be fine, love. She'll be fine."

He said it, but from the strained look on Lucien's face, Sabin didn't think Lucien entirely believed that. Torin had made a good point when Aeron had stabbed Isolde in the chest. None of them knew how far Isolde's body could be pushed. She could very well break long before they did and this could be that moment.

Anya rounded on Sabin then, her eyes blazing as she looked up at him.

"This is all because she wouldn't tell Galen a damn thing. Do you still want to believe she's not completely loyal to us!? Huh!?" Anya demanded, Lucien trying to calm her. "They carved out her stomach for crying out loud!"

Gwen had said, once, that it would take something drastic to change his view of Isolde...and she had been right. The girl lay before him, a bloody and broken mess, just like one of his men, and it was because she refused to tell his enemy anything that could be used against him. He had to admit then that Isolde really wasn't the bad person he had been making her out to be. She was just as loyal and determined as any one of his men.

And damn it, he owed her a huge apology.

"I'm sorry."

Anya looked up at Sabin, surprised when he spoke.

"I'm sorry and I'll tell her that if, no when she wakes up. So let's get out of here and get her, Gideon, and everyone else, home." Sabin told her.

Anya nodded, letting Lucien take Isolde from her arms. Sabin turned to Strider then.

"Have you seen Gwen?" he asked.

"Yeah. Down the hall and to the right. I've was searching for you. I'll take Gideon. You go help your woman." Strider told him.

"Did something happen to her?" Sabin demanded as he handed Gideon over.

"Just go." was all Strider said in reply.

Sabin took off ahead of the others. He found Gwen exactly in the same room he had left her in, but she wasn't fighting humans. She was fighting Galen.

And was losing.

Galen had a whip in one hand that was actually a hissing snake. Every time Gwen took off the thing's head, it simply grew back. Gwen was barely keeping her feet under her when she lashed out.

"The big, strong Lords of the Underworld, relying on a woman. And they call me the coward." Galen sneered.

"I'm not just any woman. I'm a Harpy." Gwen replied.

"As if that makes a difference."

"It should. I'm also a half demon. Don't you recognize me?" Gwen asked.

"Should I? All their women look the same to me. Filthy whores." Galen replied.

He cracked the whip at her again and then again. The second time it wrapped around Gwen's wrist, yanking her to her knees. Sabin jumped in then, blades flashing. He cut the whip's hold on Gwen and managed to nail Galen in the stomach with a knife, making the man fall with a roar of pain. Gwen pushed herself to her feet and Sabin stepped between her and Galen.

"Finally ready to do this? To admit defeat?" Sabin asked Galen as he yanked the knife out of his gut.

"You really think you're strong enough to best me?" Galen asked.

"I already have. We've plowed through most of your forces. All that remains is your imprisonment. And it looks like that won't be too difficult to obtain." Sabin replied, aiming his gun at Galen.

"Stop it. Just stop it." Gwen insisted, stepping forward. "I don't want you taken until you hear what I have to say. I've waited for this day my entire life, dreamed of telling you that I'm the daughter of Tabitha Skyhawk. That I'm twenty-seven years old, and thought to be sired by an angel."

Galen only laughed in her face as he got to his feet. Though, the laugh couldn't hide his wince from his injury. Sabin was glad. It was a small form of pay back for Isolde's carved out stomach.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" Galen asked.

"You tell me. About twenty-eight years ago, you slept with a Harpy. She had red hair and brown eyes. She was injured. You patched her up. Then you left but said you'd be back." Gwen told him.

Galen's smirk vanished as he studied Gwen. It was starting to dawn on him.

"And?" he questioned.

"And the past has a way of catching up with people, doesn't it? So surprise. Here I am. Your long-lost daughter." Gwen said, spreading her arms.

"No. You're lying. I would have known." Galen insisted.

"Because you would have gotten a birth announcement?" Gwen retorted, laughing.

"No. It's impossible. I'm no one's father."

The rest of the Lords chose that moment to file in the doorway, Lucien still carrying Isolde and Strider still carrying Gideon. Both looked as if they were almost afraid to sit down their precious cargo. Sabin knew it to be true in Lucien's case.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. We have some business to settle after what has been done to my daughter." Lucien growled.

"Not so tough without a child around to shield you, Hope?" Anya asked with a laugh.

"Tonight I'll dine on your black heart." Reyes snarled.

Sabin sympathized with what his men must be feeling at the moment, but it wasn't their call and it wasn't his either. Isolde might hate him later for letting Galen go after what he had had Stefano do to her, as set in her vengeful ways as she was, but it was for Gwen to decide.

"Galen is ours. Stay back. Gwen?" Sabin said.

"I-I don't know." Gwen replied, staring at Galen.

"Perhaps I spoke too soon. We will talk, you and I. Privately." Galen said, stepping forward to reach for Gwen.

Sabin snarled at him, sounding like a beast about to attack it's prey.

"You can leave, if she allows it, but you don't touch her. Ever." Sabin told him. "Especially not after what you ordered done to Isolde."

Galen's eyes flickered to Lucien's arm full, Gwen following his eyes only to gasp when she saw the state Isolde was in. Sabin could tell Gwen was really debating her choice now.

"No child of mine would choose to be with the Lords of the Underworld." Galen said, turning to Gwen and holding out his hand. "Come with me. We will leave, get to know each other."

Gwen doubted he really wanted to get to know her, that he only wanted to use her as another weapon against his enemies. And that hurt. And then there was sweet and accepting Isolde, who was nothing more than a bloody mess in Lucien's arms. All from an order from Galen. Gwen grabbed Sabin's gun and pointed it at Galen's head.

"No matter what happens, I'm not going anywhere with you." Gwen told him.

"You would kill your own father?" Galen asked.

Hope bloomed in her chest and Gwen instantly questioned if that hope came from his demon or from within herself.

"You were so quick to dismiss me. You said you had no children." Gwen replied.

"I was merely in shock. Absorbing the news. After all, it's not every day a man is given the priceless gift of fatherhood." Galen replied. "Your mother...Tabitha. I remember. She was the most beautiful sight I'd ever beheld, or have since. I wanted her instantly and meant to keep her, but she left me. I was never able to find her. Had I known about you, I would have desired a place in your life."

Gwen debated again. should she let him go or should she let Sabin and the others imprison him? She wanted to believe there was some good in him, but then she looked at Isolde, and Gideon, and all the pain and trouble he had caused. She didn't know if he could be saved or not.

"G-Gwen..."

The small, barely there voice, had everyone turning to Lucien. Lucien shifted his grip on Isolde, whispering in her ear to save her breath and rest. Isolde, weak, her eyes barely open, lift her head, propping it against Lucien shoulder to fix her half glazed eyes on Gwen.

"Isolde." Gwen said, relief to find the girl conscious.

"Do...do what your heart...tells you." Isolde said, dragging in wet, gasping breaths, as if her lungs didn't want to expand.

"But, Isolde, look at you!" Gwen argued.

"Forget...about me. Things have to happen...for the future I see...to come to pass. It's...for the better. Your choice...the one you know...you'll make...is correct. Don't...question yourself...not now." Isolde said.

Gwen stared in shock at Isolde as she let her head roll to the side, relaxing fully back into her father's arms. Lucien shifted her, smoothing back her hair from her face as he whispered reassurances into the girl's ear.

That was how a father was suppose to be. Kind, loving, supportive. There when his daughter was hurting, holding her and telling her it would be alright. Something Galen was not. But Isolde had said her choice was right and Gwen was inclined to believe her. Gwen turned her eyes to Galen then.

"Go." she told him.

Galen looked from Gwen to Isolde and back. He reached for Gwen, but she merely repeated herself, tears running down her face.

"Daughter..."

"I said go! Isolde's right." Gwen snapped, cutting him off.

Galen's wings snapped out, sending him rocketing through the ceiling and into the air beyond. The warriors around her fired at him, or tossed blades, and something did manage to nail him for Galen howled. When he was gone, there were muttered curses around the room.

"Not again. Why would you do that, Sabin? Why would you let her do that?" Strider demanded, sitting Gideon down on the floor.

He was already writhing in agony as he dropped to the floor beside Gideon. Galen's escape had meant defeat for the Lords, for Strider. And now he was paying the price of that defeat.

"I'm sorry." Sabin told him.

Gwen turned to apologize to Sabin for letting her father get away, but her eyes snagged on something else.

"You're bleeding." she said.

"I'm fine. I'll heal. How are you?" Sabin asked, looking her over. "I should have taken him down when I had the chance. He hurt you."

"I'll heal. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Can you forgive me?" Gwen asked, throwing herself into his arms.

"I love you. There's nothing to forgive, darling." Sabin told her.

"I wimped out. I let your greatest enemy go. I-"

"No, no, no. I'm not letting you blame yourself for this. I let him go. Isolde even said it was the right choice to make. Now tell me what I want to hear. What I need to hear." Sabin told her.

"I love you, too." Gwen told him.

"We're staying together."

"Yes. If you'll have me."

"What do you mean, if I'll have you? I told you, you're first in my life." Sabin told her.

"I know. You gave up a victory for me. I can't believe you did that." Gwen said in awe.

"I would give up anything, everything for you." he told her.

"You really do love me. You mean it. Won't grow to hate me, won't let war come between us."

"Is that what's been worrying you? Darling, I could have told you those things." Sabin said with a snort.

"But I wouldn't have believed you. I thought winning was the most important thing in your life."

"No. That's you."

Nothing had made Gwen happier. Though she still felt bad for having let Galen get away from them.

"I should have told you to lock him away forever. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. He needs to be stopped, I know that, but there at the end, I just couldn't bring myself...couldn't let you...I'm so sorry. Now he's going to cause even more trouble." Gwen said.

"It's all right. It's all right. We'll deal with it. We've severely handicapped their army." Sabin assured her.

"Not sure how much good that will do us. Galen found Distrust. He's trying to place the demon inside someone else's body, hoping to create an immortal solider he can control. He was pretty confident about his success. And now he knows about Isolde's ability to know the future. He'll try to take her again." Anya said.

Sabin ran a hand through Gwen's hair, thinking.

"I don't know what I'd do. But I do now understand how difficult your decision must have been. If you need that bastard free to make you happy, then free he'll stay." Sabin told Gwen.

Several of the other warriors muttered "Hey" from behind him, not too happy to hear that.

"We get a say in that." Reyes growled.

"I'll come to terms with his capture, I know I will. Seeing him for the first time was just too shocking to process. Don't worry, though. Next time I'll do better." Gwen told Sabin.

"Yeah, but worrying is what I do best." Sabin told her.

The mushy scene continued between the two for a while longer. When they were done, Sabin turned to Lucien.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She's unconscious again. It's the same as when Aeron stabbed her in the midst of his bloodlust. Her wounds aren't trying to heal and she's burning up with a fever." Lucien replied, laying a blood stained hand on Isolde's forehead.

If this was like that time then that meant she would spend the next week or so, suffering from her wounds before they would finally heal. It would probably take longer given that she would now have to regenerate her stomach.

"I'm flashing her home." Lucien announced, before vanishing.

When he came back, he took Anya, probably so she could take care of Isolde. One by one, Lucien flashed them all home. Anya, with the help of an overly frantic Ashlyn and Danika, cleaned and bandaged Isolde. Anya had Lucien flash her to the nearby hopsital in town and stole medical equipment, hooking Isolde up to an I.V. drip since she didn't have a stomach to drink or eat anything. But that was about all they could do for her and just had to let her rest and recover after that.

While they waited to see how Isolde would do, the women looked for new homes for the children they had rescued. Torin searched for those on Cronus' list and the others went about plotting how to find Galen. Though it would take a while for Galen to re-enter the fray after his injuries.

The same with Isolde and Gideon.

They just couldn't seem to catch a break.

At least not accident prone Isolde.


	30. Champagne and Chocolate

Author's Note: Good evening, everyone! Or whatever time of day it is for you. I meant to post this chapter yesterday, but I ended up falling asleep on my laptop. And I do mean **on** my laptop. I woke up with about two hundred pages of gibberish from where my cheek had been pressing against the keys on my keyboard. Probably would have been more if my dog barking hadn't awoken me. That side, here is a fair warning for all of you, my lovely readers...this chapter contains sexual content. Don't say I didn't warn you. Otherwise, please enjoy and review. I do not own Lords of the Underworld or any of its characters.

Chapter 30 Champagne and Chocolate

Many of the inhabitants of the Budapest fortress took turns taking care of and watching out for both Gideon and Isolde. Gideon was still regenerating his hands and Isolde had yet to awaken. Six days had passed and Isolde's wounds were only just starting to heal. The wound to her stomach, of course, taking the most time. When she had been brought back, Kane has remained at her side, his demon furious that someone had injured it's most favorite person in the world.

If it hadn't been for the fact that it might have hurt her more, Disaster might have brought the whole fortress down.

None of their demons-or the keepers themselves, for that matter-were too pleased with the treatment Isolde had received. But they were all sure that after what had been done to her, the next time she saw Galen and Stefano, she would repay the two ten fold for the torture both she and Gideon had suffered, as well as for the wrongs dealt to the others that day.

Day seven, when most of her injuries had healed themselves, everyone felt they could leave her unattended for a while. Ashlyn dragged Kane down to the kitchen after ordering him to shower and change his clothes. Just because Isolde couldn't actually eat herself at the moment, didn't mean he should go hungry.

Same to be said with the showering part.

A majority of the others were in the kitchen when they arrived.

"How is she?" Reyes asked, looking up.

"I think we're out of the woods with Isolde for now. Her wounds are mostly healed and she seems to be resting comfortably." Ashlyn answered.

"I'm not sure how much more of this any of us can take. She draws harm to herself like a flame draws moths." Strider remarked.

"Accident prone doesn't even begin to describe it." Aeron agreed.

"This time, though, it was not by her own actions that she came about her injuries." Lucien remarked.

"No. And we know who the hell to blame for that." Anya snapped, pissed with the whole thing.

Lucien stroked her back, trying to calm his woman before she could go off. None of them were happy but it would take some more planning before they challenged Galen again. Especially since Gideon was still healing as well.

"Whatever the reason, she's healing now and will probably be back to causing you all grief soon enough." Ashlyn said in amusement as she went to waddling about the kitchen, throwing something together for everyone to eat.

The thought was enough to put smiles on everyone's faces. Isolde, for all that she honestly tried to help them, was a source of grief for the most part. She caused more chaos than even Anya. Some of it wasn't intentional, but most of it was. She just found it too amusing, causing trouble for people. With that in mind, the women pitched in to help Ashlyn with cooking and everyone set down to eat.

About four hours later-after causing little disasters throughout the fortress-when Kane went back up to Isolde's room to check on her, he opened her door to find her standing in the middle of her room, dripping wet...and only wrapped in a towel. She was drying her hair with another towel and froze when her door opened. She peeked past the towel and relaxed when she saw it was Kane.

For Kane, he froze too...or at least a **part** of him did.

"Jeez, didn't your mother teach you to knock first?" she asked playfully.

"I didn't have a mother and you know it." he retorted automatically, even though his eyes were drawn to the slice of skin that was revealed when she moved and the towel parted over her left thigh.

He forced his eyes up to her face before she noticed his wandering eyes. Isolde trusted him and would have skinned him alive if she had caught his eyes where they shouldn't have been. She was grinning to herself as she wrapped her hair up in the towel hanging around her neck and padded across her room to her dresser. She tugged open the top drawer and starting digging through it.

"How are you feeling?" Kane asked, closing the door.

"Better. My stomach's still growing back. It's a strange sensation, I have to admit." Isolde said, pulling something neon green and black from the drawer.

Kane watched as she vanished into her closet. Not long as she vanished inside, both towels went flying, nailing the laundry basket perfectly. Kane stayed where he was, unable to see into the closet though he had the strange and sudden urge to peer inside at her. An urge he squashed instantly.

"I actually went into town when I woke up. Had to replace my favorite shirt since Stefano sliced it up." Isolde called.

"Your priorities might be a little out of line there." Kane told her.

"Maybe so, but growing up with as little as I had, I don't take losing my favorite anything, so easily." Isolde replied. "So how long was I out?"

"Seven days. Did you do anything else while you were in town?" Kane asked.

"A few things."

Isolde came out of the closet then, dressed in jeans and wearing a cropped off, cream colored halter top with neon green vines tracing the hem and up the left side. The top left her stomach from the bottom of her ribs to the belt line of her jeans exposed, showing the red-purple butterfly flying over her right hip. But that wasn't all it showed.

A new, royal blue butterfly, just small enough to outline her belly button, stood out against the skin of her stomach, the skin around it red to show it was recent. The whole thing, like all the other butterfly tattoos she had gotten, was glittery.

"A new tattoo? You really like getting those in the exact same spot you obtain serious injuries, don't you?" Kane asked.

Isolde looked down at the butterfly, fingers tracing the design.

"What? You don't like butterflies? I do. For more reasons than one. One of which is that I like those tattooed on all of you." Isolde replied.

"Why? That's the mark of our possession."

"And if you had never been possessed, had never done what you did, I would have never met any of you. I'm grateful, if you aren't."

She somewhat had a point but he didn't want to admit it. So he changed the subject instead.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"My stomach's not fully back yet. If I eat now, the food will probably end up free floating through my body. Not a pleasant image." Isolde replied.

Kane winced along with her. It wasn't an image he wanted in his head either. So food was out of the question. And drinks for that matter. At least for another day or two. Which must annoy Isolde who was obsessed with Peace Tea and Pocky.

"I will say this...I have a healthy respect for any of you who have endured torture at the hands of the Hunters." Isolde said, laying a hand flat on her stomach and shivering at the memory.

Kane was at her side then, wrapping her up in his arms. Isolde went willingly, sinking into the embrace and leaning her weight into him. He knew then, by the slight trembling of her body, that she was far more effected by what had happened than she was willing to let on. Her tone had been bitter when she had spoken as well.

She buried her face in his shirt front and took deep breaths to calm herself. The whole while, Kane stroked her damp hair. Isolde acted strong, acted like she could brush off anything, but, unlike Kane and the other warriors, she had never experienced torture before. She wasn't hardened to it. Even Gideon, the hardened warrior to the core that he was, wasn't unfazed by torture. None of them were. Isolde was less so.

"None of us wanted you to ever go through that. We've seen how bad it can be with Gideon." Kane told her.

"I know. First his feet and now his hands. Gideon can't catch a break." Isolde said lowly.

"Neither can you. You get injured more than we do."

That earned him a laugh that vibrated his chest. Disaster sighed at the sound, content knowing she was alright and there in Kane's arms. For once, Kane had to agree with his demon.

"I know I draw trouble. I'm sorry if it ever causes too much trouble for all of you. I don't mean too." Isolde said.

"Well...sometimes you cause trouble on purpose." Kane pointed out.

"Not on a massive scale. Not for all of you."

"Good point. Everyone was furious when they saw you. Probably no where near as furious as Anya was. At both the Hunters and Sabin." Kane told her.

"Why Sabin?"

"You didn't tell Galen anything, we know that. Anya was furious that Sabin had ever doubted you and that it took that happening for him to finally realize that you're completely loyal to all of us."

"It doesn't matter. But Galen does know about my knowledge of the future. He'll try to take me again." Isolde said, shivering at the thought of ending up strapped to another chair, a knife digging into her skin.

It brought back images of that torture and of the grin on Stefano's face as he carved scream after scream out of her. Isolde's grip on Kane's shirt tightened. She never wanted to go through that again, but she wouldn't let it stop her from fighting along side them. She would continue to fight for her home and family as long as she drew breath.

"We won't let that happen. You know that. Now come on. I'm sure the others will want to know you're awake." Kane told her.

Isolde nodded, though she wouldn't have minded being held like that a little longer. More than likely Lucien, Paris, and the women of the fortress would give her all the hugs she could possibly want once they saw her. Kane released her and the two headed downstairs. As Isolde thought, the moment she stepped into the kitchen, all talking stopped before Anya threw herself at Isolde with a cry of relief and joy. She wrapped Isolde up in her arms and squeezed her so tightly that Isolde feared her head would pop off.

Lucien joined his woman, leaning down to press his lips to the crown of Isolde's head. Both told her how relieved they were to see her awake and feeling better.

"I'll be fine, I swear. It's not memories I'll ever want to relive, but I will live." Isolde promised them, laying her head on Anya's shoulder.

This was what it was like to be comforted by a mother. If this was the end result, Isolde didn't mind the countless injuries she gained. Well...she did somewhat, because it hurt, but that was beside the point.

"I'll kill that bastard the next time I see him. I will. Nobody hurts my daughter like that and gets away with it." Anya vowed, Lucien agreeing with her.

Isolde could never put into words just how happy it made her to hear those glorious words. They were like sweet honey to her ears. Her real parents would have never claimed her, let alone had done anything to protect her. They would have laughed to see her hurt. To have Lucien and Anya not only claim her, but vow vengeance on those who hurt her, made her broken heart soar.

Anya pulled back and placed a kiss on Isolde's forehead before releasing her. Paris was the next one to scoop her up off her feet, holding her a good two feet off the floor. Isolde couldn't help laughing as he spun her. She could feel the desperation of his demon pounding against her skull, but the demon calmed somewhat when Paris held her. Isolde was sure that over the next couple of months, Paris' demon was going to give her hell.

For now she couldn't bring herself to care.

When Paris set her down each of the warriors and women came up to her. Kaia and Bianka expressed how bad ass they thought she was that she had taken that kind of torture and had bounced back with a smile on her face. When the last of them stepped away it left only Sabin facing her. Isolde looked up at his hard-as-stone face. There was no expression on his face as he looked at her.

"I didn't tell him anything." Isolde told him.

"I know." Sabin replied.

Then why was he looking at her like he was about to snap and jump down her throat?

"Look, Isolde...I'm sorry."

Ridiculously strict, pain-in-the-ass say what?

Isolde stared at him like she thought he had just sprouted a second head that had just started singing _Jingle Bells_. Sabin rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable with all eyes on him, but he had been wrong and he was going to correct that wrong.

"I misjudged you and treated you poorly because of it. I know now that you are completely loyal to us. I didn't want you to have to go through torture like that to finally prove the point though. For that Stefano and Galen both will pay." Sabin told her.

For a moment silence reined, Isolde just staring at Sabin in shock. Sabin thought for a moment that he might have shocked her silly. But then Isolde gave him the sweetest smile he had ever seen on her face. It was so big, it made his cheeks ache just thinking about it, but Sabin took it to be a good sign.

"I hope you'll forgive me." Sabin added.

"No."

Sabin stared at her, but Isolde shook her head at him like she thought he was goofy or something. When she looked at him again, the smile was still there.

"Family never has to ask for my forgiveness. I'm not too pleased with how you acted towards me, but I didn't act any better in return. Despite that, you are family, whether you like it or not, and I love my family too much not to forgive them instantly. I may have a broken, little excuse for a heart, but I still love everyone here like family. That includes you. So forgive you? There's nothing to forgive." Isolde told him.

Sabin couldn't help the smile that curved his lips. Everyone around them smiled as well. Isolde could be a pain in the ass, but when it came to family, she understood that love meant to forgive. They might still jump down each other's throats, but hopefully their relationship would improve.

"As great as this is, maybe Isolde is feeling well enough that she can cook dinner tonight." Strider said, grin on his face.

Isolde rolled her eyes as some of the others laughed. Her hands went to her hips as she shook her head at Strider.

"I just woke up, goofball. I'm not going to jump right back into cooking just like that." Isolde said, snapping her fingers.

Several people jumped, scrambling away as white flames erupted on the island counter top. Isolde stared at it in shock, then looked down at the fingers she just snapped.

"Ohhh! So **that's** how they work. Cool!" Isolde cheered, grin splitting her face.

"Isolde! Put it out!" Reyes demanded, his demon rattling about his head in an attempt to get the hell away from the flames.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Isolde said, snapping her fingers again.

The flames went out, not leaving behind any sign that they had been there at all. Not even so much as a scorch mark on the counter top.

"That was awesome." Isolde remarked.

"No, it wasn't!" Reyes retorted.

"What? I don't like not knowing how to use and control a power. Now that I know how they work, I won't accidentally set any of you on fire." Isolde replied.

She had a good point, but it did nothing to calm the demons. Especially when Isolde looked like she was tempted to fool around with the ability now that she knew how to start the fires. Lucien laid a hand on hers and gave her a pointed look.

"You will not toy around with this ability, Isolde. You send our demons into a frenzy when you start those flames." Lucien told her.

"Aye, aye." Isolde replied, saluting Lucien with her other hand.

Though she had agreed not to toy with the ability and possibly end up setting one of them on fire, they all knew that the next time she ended up in battle, she was going to use the ability. The thought sent shivers down some of their spines.

"You do realize though, that every time I master or manage to figure out how to control a power, a new one surfaces, right?" Isolde remarked.

Just what they needed...Isolde with another, possibly terrifying ability. The ones she already had were more than enough to scare the pants off most people. Add anymore and none of them thought they could handle it.

"We will just have to wait and see if that is true." Lucien said.

They all hoped it wasn't.

The rest of the day passed with Isolde making a trip into town for grocery shopping. Lucien sent Strider and Amun with her, Anya tagging along for, as she said, "shits and giggles". Isolde claimed it was a bit of an overkill but Strider and Amun agreed with Lucien and Anya refused to let her leave the fortress without her.

Isolde, wisely, didn't mention leaving the fortress when she had first woken up.

And nor did Kane.

Despite what she had said in difference earlier in the day, Isolde did cook dinner, with Ashlyn's and Danika's help. Which earned her gratitude from the warriors. Ashlyn and Danika were decent cooks, but when it came down to choosing who they wanted to cook for them, Isolde won out. Which didn't bother Isolde one bit. She liked cooking just as much as she liked to write.

That would be a lot.

After cooking dinner, Isolde retreated upstairs to her room since she couldn't eat it, Kane following to make sure-for the hundredth time-that she was feeling alright.

"I'm fine, Kane. Really. Physically, I'll be all better in a few days." Isolde told him, walking out of her closet in the other sized, black t-shirt she had stolen from one of the men to make into her sleeping shirt.

Kane was sitting on the edge of her bed and caught the use of the word "physically". He knew what that meant. Isolde was still coming to grips with the torture. She would move past it eventually, he knew that, but for now, she was still shaken on the inside.

"Physically?" he asked, calling her out.

Isolde looked up at him as she hopped onto her bed, swing her legs up. She gave him a hard look that he took to mean that he need to butt out of it.

"I'll be fine, Kane. It's not the first time I've endured some kind of torture. It's just the first time someone has cut out an organ." Isolde told him.

Kane eyed her, but didn't say anything. If he had tried prying, she would have gotten angry. He just agreed to drop it for the time being and got to his feet.

"I had thought I was strong enough to defend myself now. Shows how much I've grown, doesn't it. Getting shaken up over this after all I've been through." Isolde remarked lowly.

Kane turned and looked at her. She was leaning back against the headboard, knees drawn up, staring at her hands. There was a bitter, almost self-loathing look on her face.

"You aren't alone in that, Isolde. All of us get shaken up. Just ask Gideon. Its not something you can easily shrug off. Even for warriors like us." Kane told her.

Isolde didn't reply. She simply wrapped her arms around her legs and looked away from him. He could tell she wasn't willing to let herself off easy this time. She expected more out of herself and she had failed to live up to that expectation. She just needed time, he knew.

"I'll let you go to bed." he said, heading for the door.

"Kane."

Kane turned and looked at her. He arched an eyebrow in questioning. For a moment she seemed to argue with herself before she met his eye.

"Would you...would you stay here tonight. I'm not made of stone. I know when something is going to give me nightmares and I don't have...I mean, could you? Please."

Kane stared at her. Didn't have what? More importantly, she was asking him to spend the night in the same bed as her. Isolde wasn't the most comfortable with men in her bed, though he had slept there twice before, and now she was asking him to do it again. The sheer amount of trust she had in him was staggering, especially when his demon caused everyone else to doubt him and leave him behind.

But not Isolde.

"Are you sure?" he asked, turning to fully face her.

Isolde nodded without any hesitation. Kane couldn't deny her. He nodded, turning out all the lights except for the lamp on her computer desk. He kicked off his shoes and climbed into the bed, laying down on one side. To his surprise, Isolde curled into his side, laying her head on his right shoulder. She was a little stiff and uneasy about it at first, but the trust was there and she soon relaxed against him. She didn't even stiffen when he loosely draped his right arm around her waist.

Slowly she relaxed into sleep, her breathing evening out. Her scent-a mix of lavender, honey, and green apples-filled his nose. It was the last thing he was conscious of before he feel asleep as well.

-0-0-0-0-

Hope as they might that Isolde wouldn't develop anymore abilities, they all kept a close eye on Isolde for the next few days. For a few days, Isolde grew frustrated as she waited for her stomach to completely grow back. Four or five times a day she would have to sit down and let Ashlyn hook her up to an IV just to get the necessary fluids her body needed to keep healing since she was unable to digest anything. Getting pricked that many times a day only seemed to annoyed Isolde further since the girl really hated needles.

After three days, she was glad when her stomach was fully back in place. To celebrate, she made a big dinner filled with her favorite foods as well as some of their's and ate until she had what she called a "food baby". Of course, she moaned and groaned about an overly stuffed stomach afterwards.

Kane found himself as her constant pillow at night, not that he was complaining. Nightmares did make her toss and turn a few times, but it seemed that having him, someone she trusted, right there, made a whole world of difference for her.

The morning of the fourth day, Kane was awoken to Isolde's voice drifting from the bathroom.

"What the hell!? No! No, no, no!"

Kane swung his feet off the bed and surge off the bed and to the bathroom door. He knocked on the door, a little afraid to just barge into the bathroom. It if wasn't anything big, Isolde would kill him for seeing her naked.

"Isolde? What's wrong?" he called.

"Damn it! Meet me downstairs. I have to find Aeron." Isolde called back.

When Kane opened the bathroom door, Isolde had already vanished into her shadows.

What the hell was going on?

Down stairs, Isolde flew through the fortress, searching for Aeron. She needed his help and she needed it then. She didn't find him in his room and went flying to the entertainment room. He wasn't there either. She finally found him in the foyer with Paris, Lucien, and few others. Kane was already there. Isolde flew down the stairs.

"Aeron!"

Aeron looked up as she took a flying leap down the last fifteen steps. He barely managed to catch her before she hit the floor.

"Baby girl, what are you doing?" Paris asked.

"Aeron, I need your help!" Isolde gasped, looking up at him.

"My help? What for?" Aeron asked.

"Isolde, what is going on?" Lucien asked.

Silence stretched as Isolde debated on how to answer the question. She groaned, and then...

"I had a new ability rear it's head."

Gods help them.

With some insisting that Aeron was the only one that could help her, Isolde managed to drag the tattooed man outside. The majority of the household came out to see just what Isolde's new found ability was. Apparently, it was an ability she wasn't too awfully happy about.

"What is it, baby girl?" Aeron asked when they all stood on the lawn.

Isolde fiddled with her hands before heaving a sigh. Muttering to herself, she turned, presenting them with her back. Aeron was about to question her when he saw it. At first it just looking like something was unfurling from her back, right between her shoulder blades, appearing out of thin air. As they all watched, wings, sapphire blue in color, unfurled from her back, growing in size until they stretched out between eight and nine feet in length.

Unlike Aeron's wings, which popped out from under slits, Isolde's seemed to appear from thin air. They were a beautiful sight to behold. Feathered with feathers of sapphire blue mixed in with blues of lighter shades, they arched from between her shoulder blades, shifting before shuddering and folding to settle against her back.

Isolde turned to look at them with wide eyes that seemed to be pleading, _help me_ back at them. She was obviously not too happy with her new ability.

"Well now I see why she said only Aeron could help her." Kane remarked.

As the only Lord in the fortress with wings, Aeron would be the only one that could teach Isolde how to use the wings and to fly.

"At least it's an ability we can handle." Reyes said.

"It's not one **I** can handle!" Isolde exclaimed. "I hate flying!"

All eyes turned to Isolde. She really looked displeased now. The feathers on her wings ruffled and puffed out with her displeasure.

"You fly all the time when you take the jet with the rest of us." Strider remarked.

"Yeah, and in case you didn't notice, I never look out the windows. There's a bit difference in flying in a plane where I can't see the distance between me and the ground, and flying under the power of my own wings or someone else's. Why the hell do you think I never let Aeron fly me anywhere?" Isolde retorted.

"Seriously? You're seriously scared of flying?" Strider asked, laughter in his voice.

"Okay, don't laugh at me. It's a perfectly rational fear, you know. You get thrown out of a second floor window, landing on your face, and we'll see if you like flying after that. Hitting every tree branch on the way down wasn't fun you know." Isolde retorted sourly.

Strider closed his mouth and didn't say another word.

Smart man.

"You won't fall on your face. You will just need to practice." Aeron told her.

It was something Isolde really didn't like, not that she had to say so aloud. Many of the others stuck around to watch as Aeron gave Isolde her first flying lesson. Three times she fell from six feet off the ground, but true to his word, Aeron didn't let her hit the ground.

Not that that kept her from muttering to herself.

Isolde had liked every ability she had gain thus far, but this one was going to be hard to adjust to. It required her getting over her fear of flying. Something that was just as much of her as her irrational fear of losing her senses. Another fear that she wasn't going to share with anyone. In this world with it's immortal warriors and gods, there had to be someone out there that could make that fear come true. She wasn't willing to test it.

After two hours for working, Isolde finally was able to stay in the air, but not for very long. It felt so strange. She could feel sensation through the wings-which were not so surprisingly sensitive-and could feel the muscles of her back moving, as if real muscle and tissue connected the things to her back. After two hours, it had the muscles in her back sore and aching. She now understood the aching Aeron must have gone through when he was first learning to fly.

She would say one thing...her wings were beautiful.

"I think that's enough for now." Aeron announced.

Isolde gratefully sank to the ground, her wings going limp and sprawling out on the ground behind her. She didn't know how much more of the exercise her back muscles could take.

"Thank the gods! I didn't even know I could ache in those muscles!" Isolde exclaimed. "I have a new appreciation and respect for you, Aeron."

Aeron smiled despite himself. Isolde remained where she was, resting before trying to get the wings to vanish once more. She was not going to walk around, trailing blue feathers behind her. She would never pass for human with that.

"Your wings are so pretty." Ashlyn said, walking up to Isolde.

"I can touch them?" Danika asked, staring in awe.

"I guess." Isolde agreed, managing to will her wings into straightening.

Danika knelled next to her, running soft fingers over the appendages. Isolde shuddered, a shiver ruffling the wings. Feeling that gentle touch on the wings felt just as good as the deepest tissue massage. It went a long way to relaxing the over worked muscles in her back.

"Are you alright?" Danika asked in concern.

"They're sensitive." Isolde explained.

Then again, the sensitivity could be from Promiscuity bouncing around in her head. Paris was starting to get worse and worse, going longer between bed mates. No matter how much Isolde shoved and told the demon to bug off, it only continued it's bouncing, laughing the whole time.

"They're so soft." Ashlyn remarked, running finger tips over one wing.

"But they're heavy. It's going to take a while to get use to them. Good thing they vanish on will, or my poor back would be aching 24/7." Isolde replied.

The two women gave her a smile and allowed Isolde to will the wings into fading. As they watched, the wings shuddered and then seemed to melt away from existence, leaving behind only a few sapphire blue feathers on the ground. Even with them gone, her back still ached.

"Take a hot shower. It will relax the muscles." Aeron suggested, taking her hand and helping her to her feet.

"I think I'll do just that." Isolde agreed, heading for the fortress. "And please get Paris a woman. Promiscuity is making my head hurt."

Aeron turned a sharp eye on her but Isolde was ready to get inside. She rolled her shoulders as she walked, Kane falling into step beside her.

"Sorry if I startled you this morning." Isolde told him.

"To be honest, I was more concerned about you killing me if I charged into the bathroom and found you naked." Kane replied.

To his relief, Isolde broke into laughter. Her laughter trailed off as she reached up to rub at one shoulder. The smile was still on her face, but Kane could swear that she looked distracted.

"Something wrong?" Kane asked.

Isolde seemed to snap out of it and looked up at him.

"Huh? Oh! Yeah. I'm fine. Just...thinking." she told him.

Kane didn't need Gideon there to know that she was lying. She wasn't telling him something. Usually when that happened it was because either she couldn't, or she didn't think it was important enough to let him in on it. It had him wondering which one this was.

"Look, I'm going to go take a shower. Try to behave yourself while I'm gone." Isolde teased, giving him a grin.

Kane grinned back at her before she vanished into her shadows. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go a little wrong with Isolde. Maybe it was because Disaster was cackling his demon ass off.

Whatever it was, he was sure he would find out sooner or later.

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde was going to kill Paris.

Or at least Promiscuity.

Isolde had tried everything from cold showers to working out relentlessly. Anything and everything short of anything sexual, to get past the effects the demon was having on her.

Nothing worked.

Everything became a chore. Showering, trying to work out, going shopping... **everything**. Every time she passed a man, she wanted to jump him. It even happened around women. Isolde didn't swing that way, no matter how she may act. It was urges she had never experienced before and therefore, had no experience handling. She only managed to control herself through sheer stubborn will.

As it was, she had kicked Kane out of her room days ago and had refused to let him back in. She had even spent one of those nights at the hotel in town, just to try and put some distance between her and Promiscuity.

If only for one night.

She didn't know how Paris put up with it. Even in his grief it had to be a killer for him to constantly feel like this. Of course, the others noticed and questioned what was wrong.

Isolde avoided them like the plague.

Aeron had caught on to what had to be going on and through him, Paris knew. When either of them had tried to talk to her, she had insisted she was fine. Insist she might, but they could see the blue leeching from her eyes. Isolde couldn't hide that. So Isolde avoided them too. She basically locked herself in her room, which wasn't going to be good for her well being considering Gwen was now planning her marriage to Sabin and insisted on having the help of every female in the fortress.

Needless to say, Isolde had received a few death threats from the bridezella.

Isolde, though, had only opened her door once, and that was to tell Bianka that she hoped the woman enjoyed the next few weeks. Bianka had insisted on further information, but Isolde had closed her door in their faces, locking it tight.

Bianka would meet Lysander soon enough and find out what Isolde meant.

After a week of this, Kane had had enough. He pulled what Isolde later referred to as an "Ashlyn Move". That meaning he leapt from his balcony to Isolde's and had come in through the unlocked balcony doors. Isolde, in the state of constant headaches and arousal she was now suffering, hadn't thought to lock the doors. Of course, Kane knew he was taking a chance of having her attack him for it, but he was concerned and she had long since barricaded her door.

She wouldn't even answer her phone.

When he opened the doors and stepped past the curtains, the first thing he noticed was that all of her lights were dimmed. The second thing he noticed was a smell of mixed champagne and chocolate. He had smelled the smell before, he was sure, but he couldn't place where. The moment he registered the smell, it was like his brain started to fog. He breathed it in deeply as he walked further into the room. It fogged his senses enough that he didn't see Isolde coming until she hit him from the side, hard enough to knock him back on his ass.

Isolde landed in his lap, straddling his thighs. Kane froze, drawing very still as a blade pressed into his neck. He looked down, his eyes meeting Isolde's. The blue was almost completely gone from her eyes, the red darkening. It was when their eyes met that she finally realized it was him and cursed under her breath.

"By the gods, Kane! What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.

Either it was just him, or Isolde was slurring a little.

"You refuse to answer your door or talk to anyone. It was either I come in through your balcony doors and talk to you, or you have Lucien flashing in here to demand what's going on. I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm pretty sure you don't want to try to explain it Lucien." he replied.

The blade eased away from his neck until she dropped it on the floor beside them. Still she didn't move from where she sat. Kane tried not to move. Something was going on, one of the demons had a a hold of her, and he didn't want to provoke her into attacking him.

"You're right." she said lowly.

Her voice was distant, absent sounding, almost...husky? He could swear he heard arousal in her tone, but he wasn't sure. He had never seen Isolde so much as interested in a person, so he had no idea what she would sound like when aroused. His own brain was slowing down. This close to Isolde, he could tell that the strange, yet familiar scent, was coming from her. But he knew that wasn't her natural scent. Normally she smelled of lavender, honey, and green apples. A mix of her shampoo and the lotion she used after ever shower.

"Isolde, what's going on?" he asked.

"I..it's just...hard to explain." Isolde said vaguely, her eyes locking on his face.

He saw her eyes shift to his mouth, felt her shift forward, closer to him, but he did nothing to stop her. He couldn't. He was too fascinated by the shine of desire in her eyes as they narrowed. She braced her hands against his chest, leaning into him. Her lips only brushed his at first, but still he did nothing to stop her, even knowing this wasn't like Isolde.

Then her lips pressed firmly into his. Kane caught himself about to kiss her back and seized her wrists, pulling back from her. Isolde tried to follow him, but he didn't let her. That hazy fog was getting thicker and it was becoming harder to fight.

"Isolde, stop. We shouldn't do this and you know that." Kane told her, fighting with reason.

"No talking." was all Isolde said before her mouth was on his again.

Kane pulled back again, earning a growl of near annoyance from Isolde. He tried to form a protest, a reason for not doing this, but nothing would come to mind and he simply opened and closed his mouth a few times, the words not forming.

"No talking." Isolde insisted.

This time, when she kissed him, Kane reacted without thinking, angling his head and parting his lips to take the kiss deeper. Her arms slid around his neck as his wrapped around her waist, plastering her to him. His demon was purring at the contact, enjoying the tumble of disasterous thoughts that rolled around in Kane's head.

Kane knew this wasn't right, had finally figured out where he had smelled that scent before. It was the same smell Paris let off when he had denied his demon for too long, or had been unable to find a bed mate. The demon would let off the scent, attracting anyone and everyone around Paris. That meant Paris wasn't feeding Promiscuity and the demon had decided to take it out on Isolde too. That also explained her actions.

She was basically drunk off her ass on the demon's urgings.

But gods help him, he couldn't stop.

Her tongue stroked his, never ceasing movement, their teeth clashing. What undone him the most was when her hips started moving against him. Kane latched his hands onto her hips, fingers digging in. His length hardened, Isolde moaning into his mouth when she felt it.

Isolde definitely had to be lost to the urgings of Promiscuity. She would have never acted this way willingly. As far as he knew, she was scared of sex, of intimate touch. She would have gone running normally if someone had so much as tried to touch her with the intention of sleeping with her. Yet here she was, rubbing against him, her fingers diving into his hair, demanding a deeper touch. Deep in his mind, he knew she was going to kill him for this, knew she would be just as upset with him as she would be with Paris and Promiscuity, but his lust fogged brain rationalized that they both could use this, that they both needed it.

Later he blamed that on Promiscuity and not his own wants.

And called himself a liar right afterwards.

When their lips parted, Kane found her eyes fully red, her pupils blown out and her lips swollen and red. All he could see in her gaze was lust and desire. She leaned forward, lips finding his neck, teeth nipping at the skin. Kane groaned, reaching up to tug at the zipper on the back of the dress she was wearing.

The dress was pretty much on par with the rest of her style. A satin smooth, strapless dress that clung to her body until it flared at her waist, black lace lining the top. A slit rode up her left thigh where it ended at her hip, thin chains holding the top of the slit closed. It cinched just under her breast, where it went from vermilion red to sky blue. Lucien had gotten the dress specially for her because it matched her eyes.

Kane yanked the dress over her head and tossed it to the side, forcing her mouth to leave his neck. The black lace turned out to be part of her strapless bra, which matched her low-slung panties. Isolde truly was a sight to behold. Skin of cream with just a touch of honey, marred now and then by scars and colored by the four butterfly tattoos he could see. His eyes flew first to the silver butterfly tattoo spreading over her ribs and then to the orange one spreading over her left collar bone and shoulder. They traveled down to the red-purple one curling over her right hip and then to the new, sapphire blue one around her belly button.

No matter how many times he saw them, he always had to stop and look, his mind swearing he had seen one move. But that was impossible. They weren't real Lord marks, just tattoos she got. His fingers traced over the silver one, earning him a shiver as a reward. Kane flattened his hand, running it up her side, feeling the glide of her smooth skin against his palm. Isolde's breath hitched, catching in her throat when his palm ran over one lace covered breast.

Isolde knew this wasn't right, but the moment his hand cupped her breast, Promiscuity purred in her head and she could no longer bring any part of her rational brain to care. Kane unhooked the front clasp of her bra, ditching that as well. Big, warm hands cupped her breasts, kneading and sending her mind further into that black void of obliviousness. She braced her hands behind her, on his knees, arching back as his mouth joined his hands, laving her breast with attention.

Her hips never ceased their movement and if it kept up, Kane knew he wouldn't hold out. Isolde uttered a cry of protest as his hands and mouth left her breast. He slid a arm around her waist instead, holding her firmly to him as he climbed to his feet. Isolde's legs wrapped around his waist, her arms hooking around his neck. Kane carried her to the bed, falling on to it, pinning her under him. He pushed himself up to yank his shirt over his head, throwing that away as well before he turned his attention to her panties. Those barely escaped being ripped to shreds.

A soft cry left her lips, her body quivering as he slid one hand down her body, his fingers burrowing past the pale curls at the apex of her legs. He remembered, during the Truth or Dare game, that she had answered the truth that no, the carpet didn't match the drapes and she hadn't been lying. Her thighs fell open of their own accord, welcoming his touch, her hips arching as he slid two fingers into her. Isolde's head fell back, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

Isolde's knees squeezed in on his thighs, her fingers twisting into the sheets under her. She wasn't overly vocal like some of the women in the fortress, who could be heard when one passed their closed door. Not that Kane minded much. Kane added a third finger, stretching her. She writhed, knees rubbing over his thighs, unable to stay still. A brush of Kane's thumb on her clit sent her rocketing over the edge. A soft, but high pitched cry left her mouth as she arched. Her eyes flew open in shock, a sense of newness in their depths all Kane saw before they squeezed shut and a shiver shook her body. It made him wonder if she had ever had an orgasm before.

She sank against the bed as the pleasure passed, her eyes fluttering open. They were still fully red and dazed, her cheeks flushed with arousal.

Apparently, she wasn't done.

And he wasn't upset by that at all.

Kane unsnapped his jeans, shoving them down his legs and kicking them off the foot of the bed. He pushed her knees apart, poised and ready to take when Isolde pressed a hand to his chest, pointing to her nightstand.

"Condom." she purred.

Kane leaned over, opening the drawer. He dug past notebooks, pens, and random objects until he pulled out a box of condoms. He held it up and gave her a questioning look.

"Strider's joke." was all she said.

Go figure.

Kane opened the box, pulling out one and ripping open the package. He sheathed himself in the condom. No sooner was he done, he surged forward, thrusting deep into her. Isolde let out a cry, climaxing again instantly, right then and there. Kane shivered as that warm sheath tightened around him, squeezing him. He hadn't expected that to happen and by the darkening of the blush on her face, nor had she. But he didn't stop to say anything that could have possibly embarrassed or angered her. He was moving, pumping in and out, before he had time to think.

Isolde's arms snaked under his arms, her nails biting into his shoulders. The sting drove Kane on. He fist the sheets at her temples, holding on as one of her legs wrapped around his waist. Kane nipped at her neck, laving his tongue over the skin as he worked his way down to her collar bones. Isolde shivered, moaning when he ran the tip of his tongue over one edge of the orange butterfly wing that skimmed her collar bones.

"Faster." she gasped, fingers digging into his spine as her hands traveled down his back, her body straining for a harder, deeper feel of him.

Kane complied with a growl. Wrong, so wrong, but neither could stop and Disaster loved the chaotic tumble of thoughts deep in their heads, loved that Kane had his hands on Isolde. It was probably why the bed wasn't breaking and nothing was flying at him. For that, Kane was grateful.

One of Isolde's hands curled around the back of his neck, yanking him down for another kiss. Their tongues tangled, Isolde's hips arching up against his. So close. Any second now he would spill himself, but he needed for her to finish first. Shifting his weight to one arm, Kane reached between him, his thumb finding the little bundle of nerves that sent Isolde, instantly, into a third climax. Isolde tightened around him, crying out her release. Kane followed right behind her, growling in an attempt to hold back a roar. Finally sated and tired beyond belief, Isolde relaxed against the bed, the blue slowly returning to her eyes.

Pleased, Promiscuity left Isolde's mind to return to Paris, purring like a content house cat. Kane heaved himself off her, dropping to lay next to her, unable to believe what he had just done with Isolde. Her mind had blacked out and her eyes were already sliding close when he propped himself up on one arm, pulling a cover up over her.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do. Isolde had been nothing but good to him. She had moved her room, taken time out of her life, all for him, to ease Disaster's torment of him, and he had basically taken advantage of her. Yes, he had been just as drugged by Promiscuity as she had been, and yes, part of his brain had told him that they both needed it, but his own body-and Disaster-had been too eager for him to claim what wasn't his.

And he knew Isolde was disgusted by the mere thought of sex!

What she was going to do to him when she woke up was beyond him. She might not ever talk to him again. Might refuse to come anywhere near him. The thought had the amusement Disaster felt, draining away. He didn't want Isolde to stay away from them anymore than Kane did. This was one hell of a situation and he knew, come the morning...it was only going to be worse.

-0-0-0-0-

When Isolde next awoke, it was early in the morning, the sun just starting to shine in the sky. She felt like there was a pleasant soreness in her body, one she had never felt before, and she was more relaxed than she had been in a while. Especially since the ache Promiscuity had been making her feel, was gone. Isolde stretched, letting off a soft groan. It was then that her arm bumped something. Opening her eyes, Isolde found Kane, completely naked, sprawled on his back next to her, sound asleep.

Panic had shutters falling over her vision and, with a loud curse, she scrambled backwards on the bed until she tumbled over the edge and hit the floor with a thud and another curse. Kane bolted up in bed, reaching for the blade that Isolde normally kept under her pillows. Isolde snatched up the blanket she had dragged to the ground with her and continued to scramble back until her back hit a wall and she pushed herself up on shaky legs.

"Isolde?"

Kane took one look at her and rolled out of the bed. Isolde's eyes went wide when she caught full sight of him and with an embarrassed, "Oh gods!", she buried her face in the blanket, shaking her head as if denying that it had happen would change the fact that she had obviously slept with Kane. Kane uttered a low curse to himself and snatched his pants up off the floor, yanking them on. He knew she was going to react badly.

"I'm covered, Isolde, I swear." he told her, but Isolde refused to pull her face out of the blanket.

She was clutching the blanket to her naked body so tightly, her nails digging into it so hard, he was sure she would rip it.

"Oh gods! I can't believe I...we...I actually...oh gods!"

Isolde couldn't get one complete sentence out and was shaking from head to toe. Kane chanced approaching her and her head flew up, her eyes wide as they landed on him. Kane came to a stop, holding his hands up in front of him.

"It's alright, Isolde." he told her.

"Alright? But I...the demon was in my head...an-and...you tried to stop me...I-I didn't listen...oh gods, I basically raped you! Oh gods! Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods!"

Kane seriously had to fight back a grin at that. Her? Rape him? The idea was completely ridiculous, not to mention that if anyone raped or took advantage of anyone, than it was him doing it to her. Not the other way around. But he forced the grin back.

"Isolde, you didn't rape me. Believe me, I was more than willing. Yes, I tried to stop you. You weren't acting like yourself, but it wasn't like you forced me to strip or anything. I enjoyed it, just as you apparently did." he told her.

Isolde was shaking her head before he finished his last sentence. Was she trying to deny that she had liked it? Or was she doubtful that he had?

"But you didn't hit or whip me. How could you possibly have enjoyed it." Isolde muttered.

Hit?

Whip!?

Just what kind of sex life had she had!?

Kane was pissed, shocked, and disgusted by the thought of that having been done to her in the past. Then he remembered she had said she shot the last man who had slept with her because he had a bad habit of beating up on her. Kane cursed darkly, making her flinch from the intensity of the curse.

"Isolde, a man doesn't need to beat on you to enjoy sex. For gods' sake, I'm glad you shot whatever bastard that did it, but you know me better than that. I'm not going to hurt you." Kane told her, taking a light hold on her upper arms.

Isolde looked up at him, meeting his eyes. She did know him better than that. She knew he would never purposely hurt her. Well...not outside of training and even then, it was iffy on whether he would actually try hard enough to hurt her. She had freaked with no rational reason, not that she could help it. She had such horrible memories of sex. That didn't make it fair for Kane, though. She knew what was going on, had locked herself in her room because of it, and had smelled the same scent Paris let off when his demon wasn't getting the sex it needed. Kane had just about as much say in what had happened as she did.

Which was very little.

She was so going to smack Paris, whether or not he was in a bad place.

So much could go wrong with this. But she wouldn't avoid him or anything. They were just going to have to have a long conversation about the whole thing. Kane had become her closest friend. She didn't want to lose that closeness because of this.

But what had happened terrified her!

Sex, that kind of contact, giving that kind of control over her body to someone else, scared the living hell out of her. She had been to too many dark places in her life for her to take the act of sex as lightly as William, Strider, and a few others did. She couldn't even enjoy it, it scared her so much. Had she not been in a basic stupor because of Paris' demon, she would have been sent running and screaming bloody murder the moment anyone tried to touch her sexually.

That being said...she had enjoyed it.

She was no virgin. Far from it. But...she had never felt pleasure, let alone hit a climax before. And if her hazy memory of last night was right, she had done so three times. The thought made Isolde's whole face heat up in mortification.

Gods, the noises she had made!

Isolde buried her face in the blanket again. She had never felt more mortified in her life. She had obviously enjoyed it, he was right, even if she hadn't meant, nor wanted for any of it to happen. The bottom line was, it had happened and she was not right for Kane. She had read his book, knew his perfect girl was out there waiting for her turn.

And that perfect girl wasn't her.

"Isolde, what's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm so sorry, Kane." Isolde told him, feeling like she could cry.

"By the gods, what for?"

"I've put you in a bad position. A horrible one. This is so wrong!" Isolde said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Lucien is going to be so pissed when he finds out and he will."

Damn it.

She was right.

Kane scrubbed a hand down his face. This was bad. There were very few ways to set off Lucien faster than messing with his daughter. No one wanted to be caught on his Daddy Radar.

Except William who didn't give a fuck.

"For one, that's not a reason for **you** to apologize. You couldn't have stopped me in that condition, even if you wanted to. For two, no one has to know." he told her.

"Are you kidding me!? Promiscuity has been sated. Paris is going to know someone slept with me since he hasn't slept with anyone. He's going to come nosing around and he's going to bring Lucien with him. They'll find out, whether or not we tell them."

Damn.

She was right again.

And once the others found out he had slept with Isolde, with no intentions for anything else, he was a dead man. No one would blame Isolde. Though she was more of a hand full than all of them when angry, she was their baby girl. She could do no wrong, even when she did. Even Kane had his moments when he treated her the same way, so he knew they wouldn't blame her. They would just go straight for his head.

"You have a point." he admitted.

"What are we going to do? Paris will come running the moment he wakes up." Isolde said.

As if to prove her point, there was a pounding knock on the door. Both of them cursed. Kane released her and hurried across the room, scooping up his shirt off the floor. He threw it at Isolde, telling her to put it on before he turned to her door. Isolde yanked the shirt on, tossing her blanket back on her bed. Kane stopped when he reached her door. Isolde had managed to drag her vanity in front of the door.

"Really?" he asked, turning to look at her.

"I was trying to keep others away from me until Paris could do something about his demon." Isolde told him.

Kane saw her point. He shoved the vanity out of the way and Isolde opened the door. Kane stepped up behind her finding Paris on the other side of the door, Lucien, Anya, and a few others behind him. Isolde was pretty sure when it came to the others, especially Kaia and Strider, they were just there to see who Lucien and Anya would gut. Everyone looked from Isolde, to Kane, and back again.

"I told you!" Paris slurred.

Isolde was pretty sure he had been drinking his ambrosia laced alcohol again. She was so ready for this part of the story to be over. She hated seeing him like that just as much as she hated the effects it had on her.

"You!"

Anya surged froward fully prepared to gut Kane and hang him with his own insides. Isolde stepped between them, catching Anya by the shoulders before she could maul Kane, who was smart enough to take a step back from the goddess's out stretched arms.

"Whoa there, Mama Bear! There'll be no maiming the poor man." Isolde told her, pushing her back and blocking the doorway from anymore advances.

"How could you sleep with her?" Lucien growled at Kane.

"That would be my fault." Isolde said, drawing attention to her.

At the confused and disbelieving looks, Isolde raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips, cocking one out. She wasn't big on sex, but that didn't mean she had zero sex appeal and couldn't lure a man to her bed if she wanted to.

Seriously, she was offended they thought she couldn't.

"What? You don't think I can't seduce a man if I want to? Promiscuity had a hold of me yesterday so it wasn't really that hard. Kane was just checking in on me and...I kind of forced his hand. I smelled like chocolate and champagne." Isolde said, grinning a little sillily at the last part.

All eyes turned to Gideon.

"Lie." he told them.

Of course, he meant truth and of course it was the truth. It had been her fault that Kane had slept with her and she had smelled the same way Paris did when his demon was desperate. And she was pretty sure the smell Promiscuity let off through her pores was the reason why Kane had touched her in the first place. So technically speaking...she wasn't lying.

Anya and Lucien looked between the two before Lucien reached out, over Isolde's head and grabbed Kane by a shoulder, dragging him forward so they were nose to nose. Isolde pressed her hands into Lucien's chest, pushing and keeping herself between them. Kane's hands went up to show he had no weapon in hand and was harmless.

Something Isolde inwardly laughed at.

"What are your intentions with her?" Lucien growled.

Kane had no answer for that. His intentions had been non-existent when he had slept with Isolde. He had only meant to check on her when things got out of hand. Yes, he had liked it and truth be told, if given the chance...he wouldn't turn down a chance to sleep with her again. It had been too long since his last time with a woman and Isolde had felt great. But he couldn't tell any of that to Lucien. It would be a sure-fire way to get himself killed.

He liked his throat intact.

"Okay, you know what... _back off_." Isolde said, shoving and making Lucien back up in surprise.

All eyes turned to Isolde who had a stern, no-nonsense look on her face as she looked them over. She wasn't having this. No matter what had happened, Kane was still her best friend and she wasn't going to have them killing him.

"Kane and I will decide what we want and don't want to do about our relationship, thank you very much. I'm a grown ass woman and I will do what I want, with whoever I want. So what happens between us is our business. Once we decide, I'll be sure to let you know. Now go away!" Isolde told him, backing up-forcing Kane to back up too-before she slammed the door in their faces.

Isolde turned pressing her back to the door and took a deep breath. She couldn't believe she had just done that. She had just slammed the door in her adopted parents' faces.

"Oh my gods! I can't believe I just did that." she whispered lowly, covering her face with her hands.

She slid down the door, until she sat on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chest. She was screwing up a lot of things lately. This was just at the top of that long list. Kane crouched in front of her, watching her. Isolde, who was usually cool in the face of anything, was a complete mess in the face of her unknown future. He wanted nothing more than to just help her and make her feel better.

"We could try."

Isolde slid her hands down her face enough to reveal her eyes. They were wide with questioning as she looked at him.

"Try? Try what?" she asked.

"Dating." Kane replied, Isolde's eyes growing wider. "We're grown up enough to handle this like adults. And we already spend almost every minute of every day together as it is. It's not like we don't like each other." Kane told her.

Isolde stared at him, blinking now and then as if she was truly considering his suggestion. The way he saw it, he had survived one relationship with a sister-by-circumstance when he dated Cameo. He could do it again with Isolde. And if they did date, that would give Isolde someone to go to when the demons ran wild in her head.

Isolde, though, gave her head a shake.

"You tried a relationship with Cameo before. It didn't work." she told him.

He wasn't surprised she knew about that. Isolde knew everything about everyone else. Hardly anything got past her. And she had mentioned knowing about the past relationship before.

"Our demons were the issue there. But we're still very close and ended on good terms." he told her.

"I know. But there's a big difference between me and Cameo, Kane. Cameo can blame it all on her demon and it be true. I'm just a broken mess! Badly broken. Sexual contact usually sends me running for the hills, screaming bloody murder. Relationships like that, dating...I've never done any of that and have no idea how to even go about it." Isolde told him.

Kane took hold of Isolde's wrists, pulling her hands away from her face.

"Isolde, since when is anything in our lives easy? You know how messed up inside I am. I'm not asking for wedding vows, you know. We could do it together, as we've done several things so far." he told her.

Isolde thought this through. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes, her insecurity. But her stubbornness and pride wouldn't allow her to be beaten down by it. So many thoughts and emotions ran through her eyes that he couldn't keep track of the changes between each one.

"You have a point." she said lowly.

"Maybe we can fix some of those broken parts, in both of us." he offered.

Isolde's eyes fixed on his. Kane was a dear friend, a close friend. She understood things about Kane that others didn't. Just like he understood things about her. She knew they couldn't last forever. There was a better woman out there for him then her. But maybe, for a little while, they could be the shoulder the other so desperately needed at times.

"Alright." she agreed.

"Good. Now we have to face the others."

Both looked at the door and Isolde shuddered while Kane blanched. Neither were too thrilled by the idea but it would have to be done sooner or later.

Isolde just wished it could be later, but knowing her make-shift family...it would have to be sooner.


	31. Happy Birthday

Author's Note: Hello again, everyone. Truth be told...I had meant to have this chapter up before now, but recently I have found myself becoming addicted to a game I have recently downloaded to pass come idle time. I didn't think I would become addicted like this. But I finally finished this chapter and am ready for you all to read it. So please, enjoy and review. I do not own Lords of the Underworld, or any of its characters.

Chapter 31 Happy Birthday

When Isolde and Kane stepped into the entertainment room, they found every single inhabitant of the fortress gathered there. Everyone turned their eyes on the two the moment they darkened the doorway. Isolde had insisted they shower and change before coming down and was now glad that she had.

"Uh...looks like they were waiting for us." Isolde said lowly to Kane.

"I see that." Kane replied.

Bianka and Kaia were the ones that broke the silence in the room. They basically threw themselves at Isolde, praising her, though Isolde wasn't sure what for at first.

"As much as I respected you before, you've earned some serious brownie points." Kaia said.

"How many of them does this make?" Bianka asked.

"What do you mean?" Isolde asked.

The twins rolled their eyes at her. Grins lit their faces as they got closer to her. Isolde leaned back slightly so not to go cross eyed.

"Don't be coy. How many of them does this make that you've slept with?" Kaia asked.

Kane turned a sharp look down at the Harpies as Isolde's face drained of a little color. That they had thought she had slept with any of the warriors before now made Isolde feel bad. Was their impression of her really that bad? The again, to them, it wouldn't have been a bad thing. If Isolde had slept with more than just Kane, she would have earned more "brownie points" with the Harpies.

"For one, who I've slept with is my business, and for two...none! Kane's the first person I've slept with in nearly four years." Isolde replied sourly.

Kaia and Bianka pouted, having not gotten the gossip they wanted. Kane shooed them away from Isolde. When they walked away, Isolde turned her attention to Lucien and Anya, who still didn't look too happy. Neither did Paris for that matter, but oh well.

"Okay, so awkwardness isn't a strong point for me, so lets get this out of the way. Yes, I slept with Kane." Isolde said, loudly enough for all of them to hear.

Kane rubbed the back of his neck. It wasn't exactly something he wanted to announce to the world, but it wasn't just his relationship. It was Isolde's too. He was inclined to let her have her way in this. Simply because she wouldn't let him live it down if he didn't.

"You really did?" Strider asked in shock, and a little disappointment.

"I believe I said once that if I slept with any of you it would more than likely end up being Torin or Kane." Isolde retorted.

"Isolde." Kane said lowly, really displeased to hear her speak so casually about it.

"Sorry." Isolde told him, giving him a small smile.

"It better not have been just a one night stand." Anya said sourly.

"Who says this was the first time?" Isolde countered.

Anya's jaw dropped and Lucien, who had just been about to take his turn hitting the balls at the pool table, missing his shot completely and whipped around to face them. Kane knew Isolde had just made a very, very bad joke.

"We do live right next door to each other and are in and out of each others rooms all the time. Not to mention that it's not the first time he's slept in my room before." Isolde informed them.

"Wait, what!?" Anya exclaimed.

"Oh, should I have not said that last part? But it's true. He's slept in my room several times. He's a very comfortable pillow, and-"

"That's enough, Isolde." Kane told her, covering her mouth with a hand.

Isolde glanced up at him. Kane's eyes darted to those in front of them. Isolde turned and found that most of the warriors in the room were glaring at Kane.

Oops.

Even Torin didn't look to be amused with this. That was a bad sign. Maybe she should have kept all of that to herself. Kane didn't know what Isolde was thinking. He was her boyfriend now, for crying out loud, and she was going to get him killed. That would officially be the shortest relationship of his long life and he had had some short ones.

Anya huffed, her hands going to her hips. She looked between the two, her blue eyes sharp. It was one of the first times in Isolde's life that she felt like she **needed** a person's approval.

"And what's going to happen with the two of you, huh? I swear to the gods that if you say you're just going to have a casual fling, I'll wring both of your necks. Then I'll bring Isolde back and just leave him dead." Anya threatened. "No daughter of mine is going to be in a casual fling."

Isolde looked up at Kane. She could tell by the slight twitching of the corners of his mouth, that he was fighting back a grin at how motherly Anya sounded. As an answer, though Isolde was a little stiff as she did it, she stepped into Kane's arms and leaned back against his chest.

"I don't see how I can have a casual fling with my own boyfriend, but hey, monkeys and typewriters." Isolde said.

Silence met the statement and Isolde was pretty sure she had embarrassed Kane. She would have to make it up to him later. Then there was an explosion of noise as some of the people present-Strider, Gideon, Ashlyn, Danika, Gwen, and her sisters among them-broke into congratulations for Kane and Isolde. Strider and Gideon clapped Kane on the back, Strider making a comment about Kane had caught himself a wild one.

Isolde wasn't so sure how to take that one.

But nor did she really care.

Isolde and Kane both turned to Lucien and Anya. They were the two that they had to get approval from. Everyone else could be against it as long as Lucien and Anya gave their blessing. Isolde found her hand unconsciously seeking out Kane's until his fingers curled around hers, gripping tightly. Lucien and Anya studied the two before looking at each other. Lucien heaved a sigh and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Anya, as well as Isolde knew what that meant without Lucien having to say a word. Anya turned to face Isolde and Kane.

"We're going to be keeping an eye on you two." Anya warned.

"Oh goodie." Isolde replied, earning her a hard look from Anya.

"If you believe you can handle her, then by all means. But you had best take care of her, Kane." Lucien told him.

Kane nodded. Isolde looked up at him and then at Lucien as they two stared at each other, a silent exchange passing between them.

"Does this mean I've gained a bodyguard as well as a boyfriend?" Isolde asked.

"Considering what recently happened to your body? Yes." Lucien replied.

Isolde opened her mouth to retort and Kane covered her mouth once more. She looked up at him, but he didn't remove his hand.

"She'll be happy to allow it." Kane told Lucien.

Isolde's hands went up in the air and she started muttering. They didn't know what she was saying but they had a good idea that it wasn't nice. Kane hung on to her mouth until she stopped speaking. He asked if she was good and Isolde nodded. Kane removed his hand. Bianka chose then to approach Isolde again.

"Alright, so what did you mean the other day when you told me to enjoy the next couple of weeks? If you ask me, it looks like you're the one enjoying it." Bianka remarked.

Isolde's eyes rolled up towards the ceiling. Kane knew she was thinking about her over reaction when she had woken up that morning. Her eyes returned to Bianka.

"No spoilers. You'll see what I'm talking about when the time comes. You see, whenever I know the lives of my dear family here is going to get interesting, I stick to them like glue. Right now, it's not one of them that's about to go through the interesting life...its you. But I figure if I stick to you like glue, it'll cramp your style. I'll just be popping in now and then at interesting times." Isolde told her.

"Hey! You don't care about it cramping our style." Strider said.

"You're guys. I don't give a fuck." Isolde replied.

That made Strider sulk while Kaia laughed at him. Isolde refused to answer anymore questions from Bianka and turned to Paris instead. Paris knew he was in for it the moment her eyes landed on him. His hands were already in the air when she approached him.

"Baby girl, let's not do anything we're going to regret." Paris said.

"Oh, I'm not going to regret this." Isolde replied.

Her eyes flashed and Paris tried to jump to his feet. Isolde beat him to the punch, tackling him back onto the couch as she pulled a knife. All of the males in the room hissed in sympathy, Kaia and Bianka cheering when Isolde stabbed Paris right between the legs. Paris howled in pain and cursed lowly.

"What the hell was that for! I need that!" Paris snapped.

"Oh really? You do, do you!? **Then why the hell did I end up smelling like your demon last night, huh!?** If you are going to use it, then I'm going to stab it!" Isolde retorted.

Paris snapped his mouth shut despite wanting to scream at her for stabbing him. She had a right to be angry at him, though it was a shock. Usually she was quick to forgive Paris. If no one else, she would forgive Paris, always. He was supposedly one of her favorites. Isolde lowered her voice where only Paris could hear her.

"I know what you're going through, Paris, really I do, but to wake up in the position I did...the terror is beyond words. Be glad it was Kane, who cares about me." Isolde told Paris before she pulled away from him, yanking her knife free.

Paris cursed lowly under his breath. He wouldn't be able to have sex until he healed. Not that he was really do much of that these days. He would be fine by the end of the day, but Isolde had gotten her point across. She hadn't liked the position his demon had put her in and just because she liked Paris more than some of the others, didn't mean she wouldn't punish him for it.

Kane looked down at Isolde as she walked past him. He glanced between his friends and his new girlfriend before turning to follow Isolde. He wasn't ready to be alone with Lucien and Anya. He followed Isolde up the stairs and back to her room. When he walked through the door, she was taking a seat in her computer chair.

"Was that really necessary?" Kane asked.

"Since it's his choice on whether he denies his demon or not...yes. I love Paris, but I hate the way I felt when I woke up this morning." Isolde replied.

Kane really wanted to kill whoever had hurt Isolde, for he knew, she had been hurt. No woman woke up and freaked out like Isolde did without having been hurt. He walked over to the chair and knelt in front of it, looking up at Isolde's face. Isolde turned her eyes to him.

"You know I won't hurt you, right?" he asked.

"Kane, do we really have to do th-"

"Right?" Kane insisted, cutting her off.

He needed to hear her say it. More than that, he needed her to believe it. To believe that he was not like any of the past men who had hurt her so. Isolde stared at him for a moment before heaving a sigh.

"I know you won't hurt me, Kane. That doesn't make the past fear go away. I'm always going to be wary." Isolde told him.

"What was that you told me once? That you don't want your past to determine your life now and that you just want to be normal, or as close to it as possible. That means getting over your fear of intimate touch included." Kane said.

Isolde huffed at him, blowing her hair out of her face and blowing cinnamon and mint scented breath in his face. She reached out, cupping both sides of his face with her hands before tilting his head back to make him look straight up into her face.

"Have I ever told you how infuriating you can be?" she asked.

He knew she was teasing. Could see the twinkle in her eyes. He smiled at her, coaxing a smile out of her as well.

"But that's why you like me." he told her.

Isolde let out a curt laugh. She shook her head as she released his face, leaning back in her seat as she did.

"It's not the main reason why I like you, but it certainly is one of them." she told him.

"To-may-to, to-mah-to." he replied.

Isolde smiled again, turning to face her computer.

"Oh, guess what I did manage to do in the time I had locked myself away in here." Isolde suddenly turning to look at him.

"What?"

"I finished my book."

"Finally?"

"Watch it, mister." Isolde said sternly, giving him a stern look that did nothing to hide the humor in her eyes.

Kane gave her a smile. He congratulated her on finally finishing the book. It was then that Isolde's eyes snagged on the calendar beside her computer monitor. She reached out and snagged the thing, checking her computer to make sure the date was right.

"Huh." she said in a dumbfounded way.

"What is it?" Kane asked.

"I just realized something." Isolde said vaguely.

"What?"

"Tomorrow is my birthday."

Kane stared at Isolde. She had just realized that the next day was her birthday? How did a person forget their own birthday? True, he didn't know what day he came into existence, but that couldn't really be classified as a birthday since he hadn't been born. Isolde was twenty. She was too young to be forgetting her birthday. And then there was the tone in which she said it. It was an aloof, bored, and empty tone. She didn't care that it was her birthday. To her, it was probably just another day in her life. If what little she had shared of her past was anything to go by, she had probably never celebrated the day in her life.

"Oh well. Just another day." Isolde remarked, tossing the calendar aside.

He knew it.

She turned to him then, looking at him sharply.

"I know that look. Whatever you're thinking, you can forget it. Forget I said anything. Its just another day of the year." she told him.

Uh-huh.

Like he was really going to let this slide. He was her boyfriend now. Boyfriends didn't forget that kind of thing...right? Not to mention that if any of the women in the fortress found out that he had known and hadn't said a word, they would gut him and feed him his own organs. There was no way he was leaving this alone.

"Kane." Isolde said in a stern voice.

"I promise I won't plan anything." he said.

And **he** wouldn't.

Others would.

Isolde didn't seem to catch on to that and nodded. She eyed him for a moment longer before turning to her computer screen. As soon as he could, without rising Isolde's suspicions, he was going to go talk to Anya and Lucien. Knowing those two, Anya would instantly start planning some large blow out party and, since it was his little girl, Lucien would go along with it.

Isolde wouldn't be too happy, at first, but she would get over it.

Kane left her to do whatever she was doing and left, under the pretenses of being called by Sabin. Isolde didn't suspect a thing and simply went about doing whatever it was, she was doing. When he returned an hour later, Isolde was looking at images of butterfly jewelry online.

"What are you doing?" Kane asked, leaning over her.

"I like butterflies. Rather its jewelry, clothes, phone cases, so on. I collect it when I can. It's just a...weird hobby of mine." Isolde replied, her eyes fixed on the screen.

"Is that why your walls are plastered in them?" Kane asked, glancing around the room.

Since she had moved into the room, Isolde had taken a butterfly cut-out and had painted butterflies of a pale blue, silver, red, and white all over her black painted walls. It matched the butterfly patterned blanket on the bed and random pieces of butterfly themed furniture around the room.

"Pretty much. I've always loved butterflies. Even before I knew of you and the others. Such delicate creatures that go through the most fascinating change." Isolde replied.

"So you are looking to buy butterfly themed jewelry?" he asked.

"I'm just looking for now. Most of the jewelry they have on here is pink and I'm not the biggest fan of pink." she replied.

"So I've noticed."

Isolde looked up at him then, raising an eyebrow at the comment. She wasn't sure how to take this tone. Unless it was just a splash of a darker shade of pink, she wouldn't touch the color. It just wasn't her.

"Is there a problem with that?" she asked.

"No. I simply meant that I've noticed the lack of pink in your wardrobe choices." he told her.

His eyes though were sent on the screen of her computer. Then he suddenly reached out, taking control of her mouse to scroll down the screen.

"What about something like this?" Kane asked, pointing to one picture.

Isolde turned her eyes from his face, back to the computer screen. The piece of jewelry he was pointing to was an earring and necklace set. Silver hoops and chain with small, elegantly crafted, silver butterflies inlaid with the prettiest sky blue gems set in them.

"Those are beautiful." Isolde said. "You know, for a man, you have a very good eye."

Kane tried not to take offense to that, and really, he didn't. He would admit that when it came to jewelry, he didn't know a thing about it. What he did know, was Isolde. He knew she hated gold jewelry because she never wore it, knew she was against cliche things like roses and diamonds, and knew that she loved her earrings. The girl had four piercings in each ear!

"I just know you." he told her.

Isolde smiled, more to herself. It was almost as if the comment gave her amusement. But she didn't say anything else. Silently Kane noted to go to the local jewelry store and see what kind of butterfly things they had. Perhaps Isolde would find it to be a good birthday gift.

-0-0-0-0-

Around two in the afternoon, Kane received a text message and left Isolde to her writing. Isolde glanced up at him in questioning, but he had assured her that it was nothing. He had left her then and Isolde had simply shrugged it off. About twenty minutes later, Danika had showed up at her door. When Isolde answered the door, Danika had given her a smile.

"Danika? You usually never come up here. Is something wrong?" Isolde asked.

Danika shook her head, pieces of blonde hair slapping her cheeks. She gave Isolde a smile.

"Now that you have your wings, I have a really strong urge to paint you. You don't mind posing, do you?" Danika asked

Isolde didn't really mind. Her muse wasn't really flowing anyway and it wasn't like she had anything else to do. So, she agreed. Danika dragged her back to hers and Reyes' room and into the attached studio. She sat Isolde on a stool, had Isolde will her wings into existence and then posed Isolde with one wing wrapped around her like a blue cloak, the other stretched out to curl forward slightly. With Isolde posed, Danika sat down at her easel and started sketching the basic layout.

Reyes stopped in a few times, leaning over Danika's shoulder to look at the painting. He didn't stay too long and always left the women to the painting. Danika would talk to her now and then. It was always about nothing really, but then Danika's eyes rose to look at Isolde and smile curved her lips.

"So...you and Kane?" she asked.

"How did I know that was going to come up?" Isolde groaned.

Danika laughed to herself, turning her eyes back to the painting. Almost two hours had passed and she was only just starting to add color.

"I like the two of you together. He always smiles when you're around." Danika remarked.

"I've noticed. He's great, really. Too good for me." Isolde replied.

"What makes you say that?" Danika asked.

Because I know who his perfect woman is.

But Isolde didn't say that out loud. Instead she heaved a sigh. She could never convey to anyone just how bad she was for people in general without revealing a lot about her past and she wasn't ready to share any of that. Surely they would hate her if they knew.

No.

She wouldn't do it.

"I just don't think I'm good enough for him. He's so kind and considerate and treats me like I'm a gift. I don't see what I could have done to deserve it." Isolde told her.

"We never do anything to deserve the ones we love, it seems. I know I can't think of anything I've ever done to deserve Reyes." Danika told her.

"I suppose." Isolde replied.

Though, truthfully, she didn't think that was the case with her. She didn't want it to be. She loved everyone in the fortress. They had been so good to her. Supportive, caring...she really didn't deserve them. Not one bit. She didn't want to be one of those women that ended up with a happily ever after, because truthfully, those didn't exist. And truthfully...she was a curse to those she loved. She had only loved one person in her whole life with everything she had, nothing held back, and it had ended so horribly awful that the mere thought made her want to curl into a ball and cry for the next year.

But that was another memory she shoved to the very back of her mind, refusing to let it surface.

Nothing came out of dwelling in the past aside from pain and misery.

Two hours later, Danika finally finished and let Isolde rise to her feet. Isolde stretched, her wings stretching to their full length before they shuddered and she willed them away. Having her wings out for long periods of time left her back feeling heavy. How Sent Ones dealt with all the time was beyond her. She wouldn't do it unless she had not other choice and it was life or death.

Isolde walked around Danika's easel to look at the painting. Danika really was talented. She had caught Isolde in a truly beautiful way. It looked like she was wrapped in a cloud of blue. It was only when someone looked closer that they could make out the individual feathers. In the painting, Isolde was stroking a hand through the foremost wing, her eyes, painted vividly compared to the rest of her, down cast, and her hair, zebra streaks and all, pulled over one shoulder. There was just a hint of a knife here or a gun there. It took Isolde's breath away.

"I've said it once and I'll say it again, Danika...you can make anything beautiful." Isolde said in awe.

Danika beamed at the praise, wiping paint from her hands.

"It helps that my subject was already beautiful to begin with." Danika told her.

"I don't think that's the case, but thank you for the compliment." Isolde told her.

Danika assured her that she was pretty and Isolde, being the awkward kind of person in a conversation like that, said thank you and told Danika that she had to make dinner. With that excuse, she escaped down to the kitchen. No one said anything about her birthday being the next day and there were no strange, lingering looks, so Isolde assumed that Kane didn't feel the need to share his new knowledge with everyone. Isolde heaved a relieved sigh and got to cooking.

For her, the day of her birth came with a feeling of deep regret and anguish. She was happy enough to skip it altogether. So with that in mind, she went about cooking. She just had to get through tomorrow and she would be right as rain.

-0-0-0-0-

 _Darkness._

 _Silence._

 _Chilly dampness clogging the air with a musky scent._

 _In the background a small child cried. The cries echoed, bouncing off stone walls, accompanied only by the steady melody of dripping water._

 _Pain, so much pain. And humiliation too. The dull ache was constant, the sense of mortification and humiliation not far behind. Hurt was present too. And betrayal so deep it scraped like broken glass, shredding everything it came in contact with until nothing but an unrecognizable, constantly bleeding mess was left behind._

 _The darkness brought pain, mentally, emotionally, and physically. It brought mind shattering brokenness, consuming anger, and so much coldness. She had long ago forgotten what it was to be completely without one or the other. Only rare moments of light, of warmth and joy kept her sane, kept her from finding a way to burn everything to the ground._

 _Sobs echoed around the room once more._

 _Those sobs destroyed her where nothing did anymore. They broke her further, cut her deeper, sent her fury to impossibly higher heights. Those sobs renewed her fighting, had her swearing that some day, somehow, she would burn the world and all that dwelt on it for daring to cause those heart-wrenching sobs._

 _"Lulu..."_

 _A crash._

 _Light blinded her as a door flew open. Little hands grasped for her, clinging for dear life. The small, broken form shook. Not from cold, no. They didn't feel that anymore. From fear. Fear that had that untamable anger climbing higher._

 _Heavy footsteps, dark laughter._

 _How that laughter grated her nerves, angered her, and scared her all at the same time._

 _ **She would kill him.**_

 _Large hands reached out, snatching the small body from her. She reached, scrambled, scratched and clawed. No! She wouldn't let go._

 _Lulu..._

 _ **Lulu**_ _..._

...

"Isolde!"

Isolde bolted up in bed, yanking free of the dark dream that had caused her to break out in a cold sweat. Her heart was pounding out a hard, beat, hammering away against her ribs. Still lost in the last, wispy grips of the dream, Isolde jolted and drew in a hissing breath when strong arms banded around her. She drew back a hand, ready to fight when the voice finally broke free.

"Isolde, it's just me!" came Kane's low voice.

One blink, two, and then her vision finally cleared and her eyes met Kane's hazel ones. She relaxed, melting into his hold. She dropped her face into her hands, shivering as she fought to lock away the dream that had reared it's ugly head.

Dream?

Isolde knew it wasn't a dream or even a nightmare.

It was a memory.

A hated memory that made her heart ache, her chest tighten, and her emotions rage through her like a cyclone.

"Are you alright? You were thrashing around in your sleep. Nailed me a few times." Kane said.

Isolde glanced up at him. There were claw marks marring his neck, chest, and arms. They were already scabbing over and healing, but that did nothing to make her feel better about having hurt him. She groaned and dropped her head back into her hands, fingers threading into her hair.

"Sorry. I'm so sorry." she told him.

"Don't worry about it. It's just scratches." Kane assured her.

He pulled her firmly to him, rubbing circles into her back. It had been a shock to wake up to her fighting imaginary demons in her sleep. Or at least...he had thought them imaginary until he heard her call out in the midst of the dream fighting.

"I know I'm probably going to regret this, but...who's Lulu?"

Almost instantly, Isolde stiffened, her whole body going ridge. She didn't raised her head, didn't meet his eyes as she pulled away from him. She didn't need to meet his eyes for him to know he had treaded on "Past" ground and that was ground she would not cover.

"Someone I knew as a child." Isolde answered.

Kane gently took hold of her arm before she could climb off the bed. She refused to look back at him, her shoulders stiff to the point he swore they would snap.

"You were having a dream of the past, weren't you?" he asked.

He knew better than to believe her words so easily. He had heard the pain, the desperation, the sheer burning fury in her voice as she had called the name, blindly reaching from someone. Whoever Lulu was, she was someone of importance to Isolde. And from the pain and helplessness Disaster had picked up from her, she no longer had that person of importance in her life. Disaster, usually gleeful at the idea of Isolde's chaotic emotions, was not happy with the emotions it was encountering from her now.

Nor was Kane.

"I can't hide anything from you anymore, can I?" she asked lowly.

Kane pulled her back to him and, thankfully, she didn't fight him. He pulled her right into his arms, one hand tilting her chin up. He paused, his lips inches from hers, his eyes asking for permission. She didn't stop him as he closed the gap, tilting his head to kiss her. She was hesitant at first, but slowly she opened up to him, letting him take control.

He didn't linger too long. He knew she probably wouldn't appreciate too much after awaking from a horrible nightmare. When she finally relaxed, going limp in his arms, he broke off the kiss, laying his forehead on hers.

"I know when you're trying to avoid something and usually you only do that when it involves the past." he told her.

Isolde heaved a sigh. She sank further into him, moving to tuck her head into the crook of his neck. She was starting to think she was becoming predictable.

"Yes, it was the past, but it's done and over now. I'd like to forget it, if possible." Isolde said.

Kane knew he would not get another word from her on the subject. Not now, at least. He would just have to deal with it.

"A bad dream is a poor way to start off your birthday." he remarked.

Isolde groaned, rubbing a hand down her face. She kind of hoped that he would forget about that, but no. Kane wasn't the type to forget such things.

"You couldn't forget about that?" she asked.

Kane chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest and into her. His arms tightened for a moment before he released her enough to lean over to the nightstand. He opened the drawer she had cleared out for his use and pulled out a small box wrapped in a black bow.

"Sorry, but I couldn't just let it pass without at least giving you a present." he told her, offering her the box. "Sorry, but I couldn't find an exact match."

Isolde eyed him, curious, before taking the box. He loosened his grip on her enough that she could sit up and yank the bow free, opening the box. Inside was a black velet box like one would find at a jewelry store. Isolde's eyes flickered to him before she popped it open. Her mouth instantly fell open, finger tips ghosting over the earrings nestled on a bed of red silk.

They were silver hoops from which dangled a charm of two silver butterflies with pale blue gems as the bodies and diamonds set in the wings. It wasn't the exact earrings he had pointed out last night when she was looking at the jewelry online, but they were just as beautiful.

They were possibly the most beautiful thing someone had given her.

It took her a moment to find her words and the whole time she stared at the earrings. She had never really celebrated her birthday. It was a day of pain for her, not a day of joy. She had never had anyone who wanted to celebrate it with her. Even when she had lived with the old man who had taken her in, she hadn't gotten to celebrate a birthday with him before he passed away. That Kane was insistent on celebrating the day that marked her birth, even in a little, touched her.

"They're beautiful, Kane." she told him.

"Even if jewelry is cheesy?" he asked.

Isolde laughed. She couldn't help it. Kane knew her taste better than anyone. She knew she found things most people considered romantic, to be cheesy and over used.

"Well, if you remember correctly, I said **roses** were cheesy and cliche. Earrings are always good and these are stunning." Isolde told him, looking up at him and smiling. "Thank you, Kane."

Isolde leaned forward, offering him a chaste kiss on the lips. Kane smiled, glad to see that seemed to be moving past the dream. He was also extremely pleased to see she wasn't angry at him for the gift. Though, once she headed downstairs, that could change very quickly.

Isolde closed the box, running her fingers over it.

"I'll put them on after I've taken a shower." she told him.

"You go do that. I got to run next door and grab some clean clothes anyway, so I'll shower in there." Kane replied.

Isolde nodded. She was glad that Kane didn't offer to shower with her. She didn't think her heart could handle that just yet. She was still getting use to waking up with him sleeping beside her. Taking the box with her, Isolde grabbed her clothes and vanished into the bathroom. Kane sent a text before going next door to shower and change. By the time he finished showering, had changed, and had fended off a swarm of texts-which was only possible without the phone breaking because Disaster was currently pleased with Kane making Isolde happy-Isolde was standing in front of the mirror of her vanity, turning her head to examine the earrings in her ears.

Today found Isolde in ruffly, metallic purple skirt short enough that Kane caught a glimpse of the lacy, white panties beneath when she bent over, white and glittery mesh stockings, and black, strapless, crop top with purple laces doing up the front. She wore a sleeveless, black hoodie over it and was wearing purple gloves, black ankle boots, and the earrings he had given her. To show case the earrings, she had pulled her hair up into a high ponytail.

Kane watched as she smiled at her reflection and turned to him, that smile still in place. When she turned, he caught sight of a few weapons here and there as well as her cell phone stuffed into the waist band of her skirt. He was sure she had pockets on her hoodie, but he didn't feel the need to point that out to her. If she wanted to stuff her phone in the waist band of her skirt, than more power to her.

"Thank you again. I really do love them." she told him.

"My pleasure. You might not have wanted anything, but I couldn't just let it go. The day you were born was a special day, whether you think so or not." Kane told her.

The smile on Isolde's face turned sad, her eyes drifting to the floor. There was almost a bitter edge to her voice when she spoke.

"If you say so." she replied.

Kane didn't like that look or tone. He would, with the help of their friends and family, give her a reason to like her birthday. Even if she didn't think there was.

"I do say so. Come on. Lets go watch a movie. The others can make their own breakfast." he told her, holding out his hand.

Isolde took it, a smile back on her face. She didn't suspect a thing and that put a smile on Kane's face. He led her down the stairs to the entertainment room, the two of them talking about nothing important. It was so...easy, being around Kane. Perhaps it was because she already knew everything about him. Whatever the reason, she liked the easiness of it.

"I'm surprised I haven't had any...urges this morning." Isolde remarked.

Kane didn't need to ask to know what she meant. She hadn't felt any urges from Paris neglecting his demon. Kane knew the reason behind that, of course. Paris had promise, if only for today, to mind his demon's and body's needs so not to ruin the day for Isolde. It was part of his birthday gift to Isolde. Of course, Kane couldn't tell Isolde that yet.

"Perhaps Paris is actually minding his needs today." Kane said.

"I don't know. He's been awfully out of sorts lately. I can't imagine that changing anytime soon. But that being said, I'm not going to complain. I really don't relish the knowledge that I throw myself at you like a little whore whenever his demon weasels it's way into my head." Isolde said.

Kane winced when she used the word, "whore". It wasn't a word he would link to her. Even when she was in the midst of that drunken state. To be honest...he rather liked her straight-forwardness and aggression in that state. He didn't want to imagine how timid and scared-not to mention awkward-she would be if she wasn't in that state.

"I wouldn't use the word "whore" to describe it." Kane told her.

"Then what would you describe it as?" Isolde asked.

"...Free spirited?"

"Yeah, not gonna fly, Kane."

At least he had tried. His attempt made her laugh, though, and that was enough for him. By this point, they had reached the entertainment room. Kane opened the door and let her step through first. Isolde, looking back over her shoulder to speak to Kane, didn't see anything in the room until a loud cheer went up that had her jumping back until she crashed into Kane's chest.

"Happy Birthday, Isolde!"

Boy was she going to kill Kane.

"Haha! Look at that face!" Kaia cheered.

"She's so totally shocked!" Bianka added, clapping her hands.

"Bet you didn't see **this** one coming!" Strider declared.

Before Isolde, the entertainment room had been transformed into a party paradise. Streamers in Isolde's favorite colors-blue, silver, black, and purple-hung from the ceiling, ballons clustered in the corners, long tables of her favorite foods and snacks lined one wall, a five layer tall, marble cake with chocolate icing sitting at the end of one table. Presents were stacked to staggering heights on one table, and someone had even set up strobe lights to flash various colors on the walls. A banner declaring _Happy Birthday "Bitch" Isolde_ with the bitch struck through like someone had written it and then decided against or was told to change and was simply too lazy to make a new one, hung across the back wall. Even her favorite, hard rock music flowed through the air.

All Isolde could do was stare at the room in front of her. Several smiling faces watched her as she looked around the room, her mouth working but no words coming out. To see Isolde completely and one hundred percent shocked was a sight to see. She was rarely as shocked as she was now. Then, finally gathering her wits about her, she turned to Kane and hit him, hard, in the stomach.

"You promised you wouldn't say anything!" she snapped at him.

"No. I promised I wouldn't plan anything. And I didn't. This was all on the girls." Kane told her.

Isolde shot him a glare but when he just smiled back at her, she heaved a sigh. She couldn't really be angry at her. It just showed how much they all cared that they wanted to celebrate her birthday. Though she didn't think she deserved it. Her birthday had always been a day of sorrow, a reminder of what she had lost. And every year, that nightmare came back to haunt her, never letting her forget it. But just this once, she would let them drag her from her self-inflicted day of remembrance.

With another smile, Kane let the women take over. Each had to offer her a hug, twittering out congratulations on being twenty-one. The Harpy sisters and Anya insisted that they were going on a girl's night out that night, to which Isolde had no choice but to agree. The men came next, both Lucien and Paris, sweeping Isolde up in a hug. Isolde was instantly grabbed into a tight hug by Strider when they released her and, faking a gagging noise like he was choking the life out of her, she fell limp in his arms. Strider frowned as Isolde declared, "I'm dead, I died...you killed me.". Laughter rang out in the room as Strider sat her on her feet, rolling his eyes.

Anya then dragged Isolde over to the table piled with presents and sat her in a chair. Legion hopped up into her lap then and sat one of the tiaras Aeron had bought for her, on Isolde's head. Isolde reached up and touched the glittery thing.

"Legion...are you sure?" Isolde asked, looking at the little demon with wide eyes.

Legion gave her a wide grin, complete with flashing fangs.

"It isss your birthday, Isssolde. You wear it." she told Isolde.

Isolde gave her a smile and reached out, laying a hand on the demon's head.

"Thank you, Legion."

Legion bounced off to Aeron, a happy grin on her scaly face. Anya snagged the first of the presents and handed it to Isolde, sitting the blue and purple wrapped box in her lap.

"Since we are your divine parents, our present goes first!" Anya declared.

The box in Isolde's lap was roughly the size of a large and thick book. It was decorated with a large, flashy, silver bow and had a tag that read _From your awesomeist parents!_ in bright red ink. Isolde tugged the bow off, stuffing it in her pocket-to be made into a hair bow later-and ripped the wrapping open. Inside the plain box was a black, leather bound journal with silver butterflies circling around from the front cover, over the binding, and to the back cover. Her name was etched across the top in bold, silver letters. Isolde flipped it open to find a little message on the inside cover.

 _For you to write down everything to come into your rockin' imagination._

"You're always writing and refuse to use tablets because it'll get broken in a fight,"

"Which it would!"

"So we bought this journal for you. Specially made for you!" Anya said, carrying on as if Isolde hadn't said a word.

Isolde looked up at Anya and Lucien and then back down at the journal. She smiled, running a hand over it. She had kind of expected some kind of clothing article that Lucien would have protest greatly, considering it was Anya, but the gift turned out to be extremely thoughtful.

"Thank you. I love it." Isolde told them, putting smiles on their faces.

"Mine next!" Kaia declared, snagging red wrapped box off the table and placing it in Isolde's lap as she sat the journal on an empty table on her other side.

Kaia's gift turned out to be what Isolde had expected of Anya. The pitiful excuse for piece of clothing she pulled out of the box was suppose to be a dress. Or so Kaia said. It was a short, strapless number that would probably just barely cover her naughty bits, was a deep blue in color and a neck line that would fall to Isolde's navel, white laces working their way up that neckline to help hold it somewhat close. Isolde could see wearing the thing to a club and had the perfect boots to go with it. Lucien, though, protested the moment he saw it. Like she knew he would. Isolde gave him a pointed look before tucking the dress back into it's box.

"Thanks, Kaia. It's awesome." Isolde told the harpy.

Kaia fluffed her hair like she thought she was the best thing to ever grace the planet. Isolde knew she probably thought so too.

"I know, right!? You have to wear it when we go out tonight. You'll be the eye candy of all the guys." Kaia told her.

"Hey!" Kane protested.

"Oh right...boyfriend...No matter! You'll still rock it." Kaia told Isolde, giving her a wink.

Isolde grinned, reaching out to pat Kane's arm though he didn't look too thrilled at the thought of having other men eye-rape his girlfriend. Isolde didn't care. Men could look, but they couldn't touch.

"Me next!" Bianka butted in, hip bumping her twin out of the way.

Bianka's gift was boots to go with Kaia's dress. Tall, thigh-high, white boots with shiney silver buckles up the whole length and a good five inches worth of heels. Any higher and Isolde was sure she wouldn't be able to wear them. As it was, five inches was pushing her limit. Bianka declared that they were come-and-fuck-me-while-still-wearing-them boots.

Another frown graced Kane's face as well as Lucien's.

"I'll keep that in mind." Isolde told Bianka, her eyes drifting to Kane.

Kane refused to meet her gaze, reaching up to scratch his head as he looked anywhere but at her. Bianka and Kaia laughed at the look on his face.

Gwen and Sabin were next, the two presenting Isolde with a short sword that had butterflies dancing over the sheath and had butterfly charms handing from the hilt. Isolde instantly loved it. It was a knife she wasn't going to be losing track of anytime soon.

Reyes and Danika gave her a set of brand new cooking knives with butterfly designs on the hilts and a sharpening block for the blades. She knew they would become her favorite kitchen knives.

Maddox and Ashlyn's gift was a book series Isolde had never heard of. She was pretty sure they were romance novels, seeing how the couple was into them a lot lately. Isolde didn't have anything against romance novels. Sure, they weren't her favorite, but they weren't bad, pre say. Isolde thanked them with a smile. If anything, they would be good research material.

Paris was next and his gift to her was a ring. It was a simple, white gold band with butterflies etched into the metal the whole way around. Isolde instantly slipped it onto her right ring finger. It wasn't too flashy. Compared to her other ring, it wasn't flashy at all, but it was a gift from Paris and had the words _I'll be there for you_ carved on the inside. She thanked Paris who gave her a kiss on the crown of her head.

She was glad to see he wasn't mad at her for having stabbed him in the groin the day before. For that she was grateful.

Torin's gift was next. It almost made Isolde laugh with irony when she opened the slim box to find a pair of gloves inside. They were white, fingerless, would reach half way up her forearms, were covered in black lace with blue butterfly charms woven into the lace. Isolde adored them. She was starting to catch onto the butterfly theme they all pretty much had going, but she didn't mind. She did love butterflies and the gloves rocked. Torin smiled from his corner when she thanked him.

Aeron's and Legion's gift was next and when she opened the box, Isolde actually did laugh. Inside the box was a choker-style necklace made of pink diamonds from which hung a butterfly a little smaller than her palm, the wings also made of pink diamonds. Isolde was not a fan of pink, but she should have known that if Legion was a part of the deciding process, then it was going to be pink.

"Legion thought it was perfect." Aeron said.

"Put it on, put it on!" Legion cheered.

Isolde picked up the necklace, deciding to indulge Legion. She put the necklace on, settling the butterfly carefully. She would wear the necklace if for no other reason than it would make Legion happy. That...and it was a butterfly. Legion clapped, jumping up and down when the necklace was settled in place around Isolde's neck.

"It isss pretty!" Legion said.

"Yes, it is. Thank you Legion, Aeron." Isolde told them.

Cameo handed over her gift next, which ended up being a set of silver, butterfly hairpins. They were girlier than anything she would have expected to get from Cameo, but she loved them none the less. It would just be a matter of not losing them in a fight. Isolde thanked Cameo with a smile, getting a small, half smile in return.

Amun's gift was next. The box was big, and a little on the heavy side. When she opened it, she pulled out of it a wooden chest with butterflies painted all over it in blue, black, and grey. Isolde opened it and looked inside. The inside was lined in black velvet and had several little drawers and cubbies for hairpins, earrings, rings, or other little trinkets. Isolde already had a jewelry box, but with all the trinkets she already had, it was full. She thanked Amun, getting a smile from the dark man.

Taliyah was next. Isolde hadn't been expecting a gift from the icy looking woman, but she was facing a lot of unexpected things today. Taliyah sat a box on Isolde's lap and stepped back. Isolde opened the box and found two silver bracelets. Snakes wove around them, almost as if the bracelets themselves were made of the snakes. Isolde held them up looking them over.

"Those are snake-shifter bracelets. They turned into snake whips when you have need of them." Taliyah told her.

Isolde's two-tone gaze lit up at the possibility. Her magical weapon. The cool part about them was that if she was ever caught by Hunters again, they would never expect the bracelets to be weapons. The idea really intrigued her.

"Wow! I'm guessing you were able to get your hands on these because your father was a snake-shifter." Isolde remarked.

Taliyah, already knowing about her knowledge of her past, didn't really react to that except to nod. Isolde thanked her in earnest. It was definitely going to be a birthday gift that would see a lot of use in the future.

Strider, Gideon, and William went next. All three gave her some form of sexy underwear with butterfly designs on them. Each teased Kane when the man protested it. Isolde, who pretty much wore underwear like that anyway, just thanked the three. She knew they were just trying to get a rise out of her or Kane. She wasn't going to give them what they wanted.

Kane stepped forward then, and sat an envelope in her hands. Isolde looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"You already gave me, your gift." Isolde said.

"This is another gift. One I had Torin's help with." Kane told her.

Isolde raised an eyebrow but when he didn't say anything, she opened the envelope and pulled out a letter. She read over it, her eyes getting wide by the second. In short, the letter was from a publishing company in Budapest that wanted to publish the book she had just finished the day before. Isolde's eyes snapped up to Kane's face.

"You got my book published!?" she asked in shock.

"I only had Torin send it to a couple of publishing companies for me. That they wanted to publish it is because you are a great writer. I told you that." Kane told her.

Isolde's face turned pink in a blush. Her eyes went down and she scratched one cheek. He had said it but she had still been insecure about her abilities.

"Of course, we sent it under a false name." Torin added from across the room.

Which was understandable. Isolde didn't think she could have faced the world if everyone knew her name. Given what her life was like now, that would be more hindering than anything.

"Thank you, really. All of you. I can't express how much this all means to me. I've never been able to celebrate my birthday." Isolde told everyone.

Smiled met her words. Isolde had never thought she would find herself in a house where everyone there truly cared about her, but that was exactly where she had ended up. It was...nice, having people who loved her like that.

Now if she could just keep her subconscious from kicking her in the ass.


	32. Angelic Sight

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to post another chapter. I have several projects in the working and my personal life has become a killing ground for my muse. But I finally finished this chapter after getting a nice kick in the muse when the new book of the Lords of the Underworld series came out. I can't wait to fully read it! That being said, I'm sure you're ready to get to reading yourselves, so please enjoy and review. I do not own The Lords of the Underworld series or any of its characters.

Chapter 32 Angelic Sight

When Isolde looked in the mirror later that day, she could barely recognize herself. Between Anya and the harpies, she had been made over. Her hair had been curled and primped, her make-up applied with an expert hand, and her body squeezed into the dress given to her for her birthday. She felt like she was wearing a second skin.

And she looked like it too.

Once changed, Anya had Lucien flash them to a club in California that she loved to frequent and that catered to immortals and supernatural creatures only. No humans allowed. The bouncer took one look at Anya and rushed their group past others and through the doors. Though he had a strange look on his face when he looked at Isolde.

"I take it you're on a list?" Isolde asked.

"Honey, I **made** the list." Anya replied.

That answered that.

Anya bounced away through the crowd, people parting to make way. Between Anya and the harpies, people stared. Even Cameo, who had tagged along, drew attention left and right. It made Isolde feel like a sore thumb compared to them. Normally she didn't care if she wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, but she felt like an ugly duckling among her friends.

"What's wrong, Isolde?" Gwen asked, seeing the look on her face.

"All of you draw attention with the very breath you breathe. I feel like a child trying to play dress-up in her mother's heel and make-up." Isolde replied over the music.

"Well, it is my make-up." Anya piped in.

Isolde shot the goddess a look that put a smile on her face. They had reached the bar by then and Kaia was ordering drinks. Bianka passed her a colorful drink that smelled of cherries and vanilla and had a frilly little umbrella in it. Isolde gladly took it, taking a sip. It was a bit too fruity for her, but she could taste the strong vodka underneath it.

"You're obviously not paying attention. You have just as many guys tracking your ass as we do ours." Kaia called over her shoulder.

Isolde opened her mouth to protest when she felt someone slip up behind her. A chill shot up her spine as she felt the muscle bound body press into her from behind. She was about to reach for a knife when hands settled in on her hips, hot breath tickling her ear. Anya gave her a look, as if to say, "Not an enemy, keep knives away".

"Hey there, sexy."

Whoever he was, it was obvious...he was drunk. The smell of strong booze bellowed around her as she spoke, layered with the sickly sweet smell of ambrosia. It was an awful smell compared to the fruity drink in her hand.

"Why don't you try backing up there a bit, stud?" Isolde asked, voice low and light, but stern.

The man chuckled and his fingers dug into her waist, claw-like nails biting past cloth to skin. Isolde snapped her teeth together. If he ripped her new dress, she was going to flay his skin from his bones.

Painfully.

"Watch the claws, stud." Isolde warned.

"You know you like it. Come on, what are you? A naughty goddess? A harpy? Or maybe a vampire? I'd like you bite me." he growled into her ear.

Isolde glanced at her friends who were watching closely, waiting for any sign that she wanted their help. Isolde was pretty sure she could handle one drunk men. Immortal or not. But if he didn't let go of her soon, he was going to be less a body part. One he really liked too.

"I'm the daughter of a Lord. You've heard of them, right?" Isolde replied.

Instantly the man released her and stepped back. Isolde turned to look at him, a half lidded look on her face as she hooked an arm through Anya's. To her amusement, the man was looking around as if he thought one of the Lords would come out of the shadows to gut him.

"But yeah, my mother here is a naughty goddess." Isolde said.

He looked at Anya, who gave him a wink and turned on his heels, returning to his friends. Moments later, they had guys handing off of them. Despite three of them-technically four with Cameo "dating" Torin-being in relationships, the men flirted with them. Isolde basically blew off all attempts.

She was more than happy in her relationship.

Kaia and Bianka flirted rather obviously in Isolde's opinion, but Cameo and Taliyah pretty much ignored the men. Anya was fine as long as hands didn't stray and Gwen kindly turned down all attempts. Isolde was more than happy to accept the free drinks the men offered, but she was quick to slip away from wandering hands. Getting a little bored with the men, Kaia and Bianka dragged Isolde onto the dance floor.

Much to Isolde's protesting.

Out of the corner of her eye, Isolde caught sight of something gold. She turned her head, her eyes locking in one a dark eyed, blonde haired, winged man. For a moment, it felt like her eyes were fighting to adjust, making them feel hot for a moment before the man came into clear focus. Large wings of pure gold arched over his shoulders and he wore a stark white robe that fell to sandal clad feet.

Isolde knew who it was instantly, though she was shocked that she could see him.

Lysander.

She moved her gaze on past him, quickly, before he could tell she could see him. But to be fair...he was all eyes for Bianka. Isolde turned to Kaia.

"Do you see that blonde guy over there?" Isolde asked, lightly jerking her head in Lysander's direction.

Kaia twist around, bumping her hip into Isolde's to jolt her into dancing with her. Isolde started moving in time with her and, with a nod of satisfaction, Kaia started scanning the area Isolde gestured to.

"You mean the one with the tattoo of the dragon on his arm?" Kaia asked.

Isolde turned and looked. Lysander was still there, watching them, but the man Kaia was looking at was just behind him. Meaning Kaia wasn't seeing Lysander at all.

"No. I guess he left." Isolde lied.

So she was the only one that could see Lysander. But why? Did it relate back to her ability to summon heavenly flames? Had she gained the sight of the spiritual realm along with it? Or was she just that sensitive to the spirit realm to begin with? She didn't have the answer to that and didn't like it. In this case, she didn't think sharing the ability with the others would be a smart idea. Aeron would become even more paranoid about the Sent One following him and would constantly be demanding Isolde track her down.

No, she would keep the ability to herself.

Her thoughts on the subject were interrupted when a couple of men started moving in on them, laying hands in places that had Isolde ready to bite their hands off. She shoved the hands away several times, but they persistently returned again and again. Why did drunk people insist on being so handsy with others?

"Alright, get off already." Isolde told the guy currently pressing himself up against her back.

The man just chuckled, moving closer, his hands straying from her hips. Isolde felt a bubble of panic well up in her, ready to pop. It was too familiar, to close to what those hated hands in her past did. She was close to screaming. Then she heard a loudly shouted " _Mine!_ " bounce through her head before the man was yanked completely from her. Gwen gasped, making Isolde turn on the spot.

"Kane!?"

Standing there behind Isolde, holding the man off the ground by the scruff of his neck, was Kane. He was glaring at the man with a look Isolde rarely ever saw. He turned to Isolde, looking her over. Isolde noticed, that though he was angry, there was no possessive spark in Kane's eyes. His demon was more possessive of her than he was. He didn't have to be possessive to be jealous.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

Isolde nodded. He scanned her from head to toe. Convinced that she was fine, he tossed the man away from them with a flick of his wrist. The man cursed Kane but didn't come back. Lucien, Gideon, Strider, and Sabin appeared out of the crowd then, running off the other men. Gwen and Anya greeted their men as Kane turned to Isolde, who had her hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised.

"What are you doing here?" Isolde demanded.

Kane knew that tone. He had heard her take it with the others several times. He was about to get the tongue lashing of his life. While Isolde was grateful for the help, she now knew he had been there, watching her. She always held on to the belief that she could take care of herself and she wasn't pleased that he hadn't trusted her to do just that. He scratched at one cheek, his anger at the other man for laying hands on her, draining away. Isolde raised that one eyebrow higher, hands clenching into fists on her hips.

"It's at this moment that Kane knew...he fucked up."

Kane looked down at Isolde as she said this. She raised both eyebrows in a look that asked, "Am I wrong?". To which he had no reply. Isolde didn't take well to being protected like she couldn't do the job herself. Hence the scolding tone and displeased look.

"You never know if Hunters might be here." Kane told her.

"Uh, actually...I do. Hello, I know that crap. You honestly don't think I don't keep an eye out, just in case? Besides, this club has a strict No Humans policy. They had bouncers that can sniff out a human from a mile away." Isolde replied.

Kane scratched at the back of his head. Of course Isolde would be on guard. She was rarely off guard. Living in a house of immortal warriors had taught her that. But he couldn't very well tell her that he had seen her outfit and knew men would be drawn to her like moths to a flame and hadn't liked the idea. He had a feeling she would just call him jealous and walk away.

Kane's eyes traveled down her form and he locked his jaw. The dress that Kaia had given her looked even tighter on her than it had off. It clung to every curve and the plunging neck line gave every man in sight a glance at the pale flesh of the inside curve of her breast and the slight dip of her stomach as it led down from her ribs to her belly button, where the blue butterfly tattoo glittered in the flashing lights of the dance floor. One wrong bend or move and the whole room would see whatever underwear she had chosen to wear, or a full view of her breast.

He instantly hated that she was wearing in public.

The boots that Bianka had given her made her already long looking legs, look even longer. They really were, as Bianka had said, come-and-fuck-me-while-still-wearing-them boots. Even he had the urge to take her while wearing nothing more than the boots. A naughty thought to be indulged in at a later time.

His earrings he had given her, graced her ears, Paris' ring shined from her hand, and she had added Torin's gloves. Cameo's hairpins held some of her curls back giving everyone clear view of the earrings and the necklace that was Aeron's and Legion's gift to her. She had even worn the snake whip bracelets Taliyah had given her. She was stunning and he wanted nothing more than to get her out of the public eye.

In his opinion...he had a reason to be jealous.

He was pretty sure though, that she wouldn't care about his reasons.

Isolde heaved a sigh, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked down at her as she twirled a curl around her finger idly. She gave it a tug before releasing it, her eyes fixed on him.

"This was suppose to be a girls' night. Why are all of you here? And if you tell me you were just trying to protect me, I'll hurt you." Isolde told him.

"Give me a ten minute head start then?" Kane asked.

He watched as the corners of her mouth twitched up, fighting off a smile he knew was coming. He was pretty sure that if he could make her smile or laugh, he would get off easy. Isolde knew he knew that too, because she was fighting the smile with all she had. Finally she turned her back to him, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever." she said, hiding the smile on her lips.

Strider and Gideon were laughing by then. Isolde gave both of them a solid punch to the gut. They backed off without another word.

"You guys, go home. It's suppose to be a girls' night." Isolde said.

"No can do." Kane said, taking hold of her arm.

"Say what?" Isolde questioned, but Kane ignored her.

For the rest of the night, Kane was at her side. She didn't completely mind it. He kept other guys from trying to feel her up. And dancing with him was...a sight to see. For obvious reasons, Kane didn't dance much. Isolde had worked at a couple of clubs long enough to pick up on how to move without looking like a complete idiot. And it was amusing trying to teach Kane how to move with her. She ended up forgetting her annoyance and laughing every time he would mess up and make the funniest look on his face.

In the end, it was the best birthday a girl could ask for.

She only wished it could have come years before.

-0-0-0-0-

The next couple of weeks were filled with preparations for Gwen's and Sabin's wedding. After Isolde's prediction that her life was about to be "interesting", Bianka basically dragged Isolde everywhere she went. Isolde didn't really mind. Except when it was butting in on her time with Kane. Kane, on the other hand, just thought it was funny and always let the harpy drag Isolde away.

Isolde swore it was because he was scared of Bianka.

After her birthday night at the club, Isolde found herself noticing Lysander more and more. Almost every time she turned around, she was spying him out of the corner of her eye. Usually that was only when Bianka was around. Isolde had grown use to the burn of her eyes when they adjusted so she could see him. She had gotten to the point that she didn't even feel the burn anymore. Her eyes simply adjusted. She had also become good at watching him without appearing like she was. He never noticed that she could see him where no one else could or should be able to. Isolde knew, when Bianka dragged her back to Alaska with Kaia, that Bianka's story was about to unfold. Isolde went...only after securing a nice, new, fur lined coat.

And that was where the day found her.

Lysander found them from a cloud in the sky and dived down, landing next to Bianka. It wasn't until he was about to grab her that he noticed she wasn't alone. With Bianka was her twin sister, Kaia. It had always intrigued him how, despite being twins, the two were nothing alike. Kaia's hair was red where Bianka's was black, her eyes grey flecked with gold instead of amber. She was shorter, her beauty more delicate than Bianka's. She stood beside her sister, watching her as she wasted two perfectly good bottles of champagne.

But even then, they weren't alone.

Coming their way, carefully picking her way through the snow drifts, was Isolde Lord.

Lysander had been intrigued by Isolde from the very first day he had seen her. Not in the way that Bianka caught his attention, of course, but she was attention grabbing in her own way. Isolde didn't have the body numbing beauty the harpies did, which had lead him to rule that out as possibly being what she was. But she was pretty and almost always had a rebel look to her with her zebra streaked hair, her edgy clothes, and her perpetual "Fuck you if you want to think bad of me" attitude.

It was her abilities that caught his attention. He had seen her vanish in the blink of an eye into shadows, only to reappear somewhere else completely. And then there was her knowledge. He had once over heard one of the Lords say she had once been human, with no knowledge of the supernatural world. Now and why that had changed, they didn't know. Even Isolde herself didn't know what had happened and had no idea what she was now.

Making her a mystery that naturally caught his attention.

Recently, Bianka had been dragging Isolde around with her, everywhere. Lysander could almost swear sometimes that Isolde spotted him and could see him, but when he would fix his attention on her, she was just as aware of him as everyone else was. Which was unaware. Now, she was bundled up in a fur lined coat and was probably the only sober one out of the three. She watched the two sisters with a small smile on her face.

"Waster. I had to stalk a collector for days-days!-to steal that. Seriously. You just busted Dom Pérignon White Gold Jeroboam." Kaia scolded Bianka.

"Bet you can't say that five times fast without messing up." Isolde muttered.

"I'll make it up to you. They sell Boone's Farm in town." Bianka said, the two harpies ignoring Isolde's comment.

Not that she had really expected them to pay her much attention when they were clearly hammered.

"That's only acceptable if you also steal me some cheese tots. I used to highjack them from Sabin every day, and now that we've left Budapest, I'm in withdrawal." Kaia said.

"You know, **I** got blamed for that." Isolde complained. "I don't even like them."

Kaia gave her a smile and pat her on top of the head. That made one side of Isolde's mouth twist up and she waved her hand away from her head before flattening her hair and snapping her teeth at Kaia. Isolde walked a few feet from them and dropped to sit on a boulder, huddling a little more into her coat. Unlike Kaia and Bianka, who had lived in Alaska for so long it no longer effected them, Isolde wasn't use to the cold. Especially not the cold one found on the peak of Devil's Thumb.

"But you know, stealing Boone's Farm in town doesn't help me now. I'm only partially buzzed and was hoping to be totally and completely smashed by the time the sun set." Kaia added.

"You should be thanking me, then. You got smashed last night. And the night before. And the night before that." Bianka replied.

"So? And Isolde hasn't drank a drop!" Kaia said.

"Unlike you, I don't feel the need to kill more brain cells by getting wasted night after night. And I only drink the harder stuff like vodka when I do drink." Isolde replied.

Bianka gave a curt nod like she was silently saying, "Good girl.". She turned back to her sister, while Isolde unknowningly watched Lysander out of the corner of her eyes. She had noticed him the moment he had landed, but once again, had pretended not to see him.

"So, your life is in a rut. You steal liquor, climb a mountain while drinking and dive off when drunk." Bianka was saying.

"Well, then yours is in a rut, too, since you've been with me each of those nights. And what of Isolde, whose been coming out here with us too?" Kaia complained.

"I only watch the two of you as you take a swan dive off the mountain. I may have the healing of an immortal but I don't relish in the pain like you do. So, it's just **your** lives that are in a rut." Isolde replied.

The two sisters turned a look on her that Isolde knew well by now. She tried to move in time but it was impossible for her to move faster than two harpies. The two jumped her and with a startled cry, Isolde went down, face first, into the snow. Isolde pulled her face out of the snow and with a low growl, began to wrestle with the two, drunk sisters. Of course, where Isolde's ability to heal had increased, her physical strength had not. With two harpies, drunk or not, as her opponents, she was easily beaten and ended up laying in the snow, muttering to herself as they sat on her back, grinning at each other.

Isolde blew a snow dampened lock of hair out of her face and peered over her shoulder at the two with a slightly annoyed expression.

"You two are how old? Do you have to act like children?" Isolde asked.

"Yep!" Bianka said.

"Sounds like fun to me." Kaia agreed.

"Oh joy. Why don't you two go complain about things and get off my back?" Isolde suggested.

"Oh! That sounds like a good idea." Bianka said.

The two got off of Isolde, plopping down in the snow and allowing Isolde to sit up. When she glanced in Lysander's direction, he was shaking his head. She knew exactly how he felt. She dusted the snow from her front as she sat down next to Bianka.

"Can you believe Gwennie is getting married? And to Sabin, keeper of the demon of Doubt, of all people. Or demons. Whatever." Bianka remarked.

"I know. It's weird. Would you rather be a bridesmaid or be hit by a bus?" Kaia asked.

"The bus. No question. That, I'd recover from." Bianka asked before turning to Isolde. "Isolde?"

"Does it matter? You've seen how Gwen's been. We don't have much of a choice." Isolde said, heaving a sigh, her breath misting in front of her face.

"True." the twins agreed.

"So which of us will be her maid of honor, do you think?" Kaia asked.

"Not it!" Bianka said quickly.

"Isolde's it!" Kaia added.

"Oh, you two are real bitches." Isolde snapped at them, though they knew she wasn't really as angry as she sounded.

Both Bianka and Kaia laughed in genuine amusement, Bianka nudging Isolde with one elbow.

"Your duties shouldn't be too bad. Gwennie's the nicest of the Skyhawks, after all." Bianka said.

"Nice when she's not protecting Sabin, that is. I swear, threaten the man with a little bodily harm, and she's ready to claw your eyes out." Kaia corrected.

"Find your consort and you'll see why she's like that." Isolde retorted.

"Think we'll ever fall in love like that?" Bianka asked her sister.

Kaia waved her hand in the air, waving away the question as if it didn't matter. Isolde knew that would change once she really became interested in Strider.

"We've been alive for centuries without falling. Clearly, it's just not meant to be. But I, for one, am glad about that. Men become a liability when you try and make them permanent." Kaia said.

"Yeah, but a fun liability." Bianka replied.

"True. And I haven't had fun in a long time." Kaia said with a pout.

"Me, either. Except with myself, but I don't suppose that counts." Bianka said, making Isolde roll her eyes.

"It does the way I do it." Kaia said.

"We should have nailed one of the Lords when we were in Buda. Paris is hawt. You're so lucky, Isolde!" Kaia said, whining the last sentence.

"Uh-huh. Leave me and my boyfriend out of it." Isolde replied.

"Paris is hot, yes, but I like Amun. He doesn't speak, which makes him the perfect man in my opinion." Bianka said.

"What about Aeron? All those tattoos..." Kaia moaned as she shivered. "I could trace every single one of them with my tongue."

"Ew! You two do remember that that's my brothers you're talking about, right?" Isolde said, shivering as she made a face.

Lysander's eyes drifted to Isolde. He had watched her long enough to find out that she had been adopted by Lucien, the keeper of Death, and his woman, the minor goddess of Anarchy. Though that should have made the other Lords her uncle and aunt, she treated them and thought of them, as her siblings. And now, she was dating Kane, keeper of Disaster.

Another thing about Isolde that intrigued Lysander was that, despite having no demon or demon blood in her, she had a sort of charming effect on the demons inside the Lords. She lulled them, calmed them, was even able to exhibit some kind of control over them. What's more, she could ease the keepers by taking on the effects of the demons, herself. In the case of Paris, that had been an effect she was really coming to loath.

"Just because it might be gross to you, doesn't mean it is to us." Kaia told Isolde.

Isolde heaved a sigh and shook her head. Lysander had thought Isolde a more level headed, calm person. She only did bad things like stealing when in the company of her adoptive mother and the harpy siblings. The rest of the time, she pretty much stayed in her room in the company of her boyfriend. How she could stand to spend so much time with the twins was beyond him.

"However will I choose between my two favorite Lords, B?" Kaia asked, pulling his focus back to her and Bianka.

"Just sample them both. Not like you haven't enjoyed a twofer before." Bianka replied, rolling her eyes at her sister.

Isolde grimanced and shivered at that. One man was enough for her. To even think about two in one day or two at one time...it made a chill pass down her spine.

"True." Kaia remarked. "What about you? You gonna hook up with Amun at the wedding?"

Before Bianka could open her mouth to reply, Isolde did it for her.

"No. She's going to be busy." Isolde said, in such a confident tone that it had Lysander, as well as the twins focusing on her.

And that was what really puzzled Lysander. Sometimes Isolde would answer a question with such confidence, that it was hard to think she didn't already know the answer. Kaia and Bianka obvious thought she was right.

"Oh come on, Is!" Bianka complained, using a nickname she had come to use for Isolde. "Tell me what's going to happen already!"

"Whatever do you mean? Aren't you always busy with one mischievous thing or another?" Isolde replied coyly.

Bianka gave her a shove. Isolde shoved back. Both of them were smiling so it was hard to believe they were annoyed with each other. Isolde caught sight of Lysander lifting into the air out of the side of her eyes. She knew he wouldn't get very far as Bianka flopped onto her back and rolled onto her side, facing Kaia.

"You know what I want more than anything else in the world?" Bianka asked.

Lysander paused, just as Isolde knew he would. He was so oblivious as to why Bianka intrigued him so, that Isolde wanted to roll her eyes at him. But she reframed from doing so.

"To co-host Good Morning America?" Kaia asked.

"Now that would be amusing." Isolde remarked.

"Well, yeah, but that's not what I meant." Bianka said.

"Then I'm stumped." Kaia replied as Isolde shifted to half drape herself over Bianka's hip.

"Well...I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone. Either of you." Bianka said, looking between her sister and Isolde.

"I never say anything. You know me." Isolde said, which seemed to be enough to convince Bianka.

Kaia pretended to twist a key in a lock over her mouth

"I'm serious, K. Tell anyone, and I'll deny it then hunt you down and chop off your head." Bianka told her sister.

Isolde snorted in disbelief, making Bianka shoot her a hard looked. Isolde grinned back at her.

"Well, don't just lie there. Tell me what you want to do more than anything else in the world." Kaia said.

"An elephant. She wants to do an elephant. I think it's the trunk, quite honestly." Isolde said sarcastically.

Isolde started laughing as Bianka started swatting at her. The two traded swats for a moment, before Bianka scooped up a hand full of snow and threw it into Isolde's face with an order to be quiet. Isolde sputtered, spitting snow out of her mouth as she wiped it from her face. But she didn't say another word. Bianka turned back to her sister. She stared at Kaia for a moment before heaving a sigh.

"I want to sleep with a man." Bianka answered.

"Uh, hello. Wasn't that what we were just discussing?" Kaia asked, confused.

"No, dummy. I mean, I want to sleep. As in, conk out. As in, snore my ass off." Bianka said.

"That's a lot of ass to snore off." Isolde piped in, earning her another face full of snow.

"What! That's forbidden. Stupid. Dangerous." Kaia said.

"Forget I said anything." Bianka grumbled.

Isolde sat up as Bianka rolled back onto her back. Isolde, herself, pushed herself to her feet, dusting snow off of her. Then she shifted her jacket around her, pulling the fur lined warmth of the coat, closer.

"I can't. Your words are singed into my ears. Do you know what happened to our ancestors when they were stupid enough to fall asl-"

"Yes, okay. Yes." Bianka said, cutting Kaia off.

Bianka got to her feet as well. Isolde watched her, watching as Lysander moved to stand in front of her, reaching out to touch her. Then, catching himself, he stopped. Isolde couldn't help but think...he was such a virgin.

"Enough heavy talk. Let's get back to our boring routine and jump." Biank announced, walking to the edge. "You know the rules. Girl who breaks the least amount of bones wins. If you die, you lose. For, like, ever."

"Once again...this is the weirdest game I've ever seen." Isolde retorted.

She wouldn't be jumping, of course, but she wouldn't be stopping them from doing it either. She stood at the edge, her coat pulled tight around her ears, and watched. Kaia got to her feet, still swaying from the liquor already in her system.

"Fine, but don't think this is the last of our conversation about sleeping habits and stupid girls who-"

Kaia was cut off as Bianka went ahead and swan dived off the edge. Isolde watched as Lysander dived after her. Isolde leaned out over the edge, watching as, far below, Lysander caught Bianka...and vanished. Isolde smiled to herself as she bundled her coat collar closer and flipped up her hood. Bianka would find the next few weeks to be very interesting indeed. She might even thank Isolde.

Of that, Isolde was sure.

-0-0-0-0-

Bianka was going to kill Isolde.

The little, zebra haired brat knew this was going to happen and did nothing to warn her. Then again, Isolde never warned anyone. She found it too funny to screw with people that way. Now...now Bianka found herself trapped inside the cloud home of none other than Lysander, the angelic dick. Or so, Bianka called him. After leaving her alone, basically to starve, for a week. She had tried to escape and failed. She knew Isolde knew where she was and possibly what she was going through, but Isolde never showed up, never sent anyone else.

Perhaps Isolde couldn't. She traveled using shadows, basked in them, hid in them, and used them as an extension of her own body. But there were no shadows here in heaven. At least... not in this cloud palace Bianka found herself locked in. She had finally crashed on a bed, unable to hold herself up, her energy gone.

Lysander found her that way. It took him a few moments, but he finally realized what was wrong and why she was so pale.

"And it was at this moment, that Lysander knew...he fucked up."

Lysander spun around, hearing a voice he had never thought to find up in the heavens, let alone inside his home. His dark eyes found the two toned gaze of none other than Isolde. The girl, dressed in a short, white and blue dress that fell from a halter top down to her thighs in an A-line and a pair of knee high, black boots, was sitting on a chair a few feet from him, her legs crossed and leaning back on one of her hands. She was idly bouncing one foot, her other hand running through her hair, which she had pulled over her shoulder.

"How?" Lysander demanded.

"Took me a while to figure it out, in all honesty, but, even up here, Bianka casts a shadow. I simply came through that." Isolde answered easily. "I would introduce myself, but you already know who I am, just like I already know who you are."

Lysander was about to ask how, when it seemed to click in his head. There had been several times when he had thought she was tracking him with her eyes, or that she had seen him, but he had always thought he was just seeing things because when he looked, she was staring at something else. But now he knew...he hadn't been imagining it. Isolde really had seen him!

"You could see me." he stated.

Isolde shrugged her shoulders as she leaned forward to cross her arms over her knee. While the revelation surprised him, it didn't shock her at all. He had known she was strange, but this went beyond strange.

"It's a new, little ability I've recently discovered. I didn't even notice it until you showed up at that club in California on my birthday. I've been gaining a lot of strange, new abilities." Isolde said. "But enough about me."

Isolde's eyes went to Bianka, reminding him that Bianka was still in a desperate situation. Isolde nodded her head towards the bed.

"You really should give her some blood. Unless you want to unintentionally kill her."

Lysander was about to say something to Isolde but Bianka groaned, croaking out an order for fries and a chocolate shake. Isolde quirked up an eyebrow at him and he clenched his jaw. He could swear he saw the beginnings of a grin curling her lips.

"I only stopped by to see how things were going. So no fear. I'm not going to take her away from you. I know you'd pout." Isolde told him.

"I would not do any such thing!" he snapped at her.

"Oh yeah. Did I forget to mention that I know the past, present, and future? I know exactly what you're going to do. So feed that hot air up someone else's ass, cause I'm not buying it."

He couldn't sense a single hint of a lie in her words. She knew the...that explained a lot about Isolde and her seemingly random bouts of wisdom. She knew he was going to come after Bianka, she knew Bianka would end up this way, and she knew exactly how everything would end. And she wasn't concerned in the least. That kind of knowledge shouldn't be in the hands of anyone aside from the Most High. And yet, Isolde had it.

"I'll be going now. You're going to have your hands full. She's going to be furious as all get out when she's better. You'll be lucky if a tongue lashing is all she gives you. But you might want to watch what you say. Quite a temper, that one has. Oh! And you might want to watch your cheek. Bye-bye!"

Before Lysander could say or do anything, shadows swallowed her whole and she vanished. Now Lysander had an inkling of an idea of why it was so hard for Lucien to with stand his daughter. Isolde was...aggravating. And what exactly did she mean about watching his cheek? As much as he would have liked to handle Isolde and her troubling abilities, he had other things to consume his attention.

He turned back to the bed, summoning a blade to his hand and opening a gash in his wrist to feed her some blood. Slowly, but surely, she came alive, her anger growing as her strength did. Finally she had gained enough strength that she went on a tirade about his neglect. Which succeed in making him feel about as big as a grain of sand.

"You bastard. You sick, torturing bastard." she growled.

"It was never my intent to harm you." he told her.

"And that makes what you did okay? You left me here, unable to eat. Dying!"

Yep, he definitely felt smaller than a grain of sand. He should have been glad for her anger. If she was angry, she wouldn't feel the need to tease and touch him. She would actually take him seriously. But no. He wasn't glad.

"I know. And I am sorry." he told her.

"You know? You know that I can only consume what I steal or earn and yet you failed to make arrangements for me?"

Isolde had been kidding. Bianka's temper was really blazing.

"Yes." he admitted.

"What's more, you left me here. With no way home." Bianka went on.

"I have since made restitution by saving your life. But as I said, I am sorry."

"Oh, well, you're sorry. That makes everything better. That makes almost dying acceptable." Bianka said, getting off the bed. "Now you listen up. First, you're going to find a way to feed me. Then, you're going to tell me how to get off this stupid cloud. Otherwise I will make your life a hell you've never experienced before. Actually, I will anyway. That way, you'll never forget what happens when you mess with a Harpy."

And her temper was only burning hotter by the second. He had no doubt she would go through with her threat.

"You are powerless here. How would you hurt me?" he asked.

He decided to leave out that that was only if Isolde didn't come back and help her. But Isolde said she wasn't going to take Bianka and there had been no lie in her words.

"Powerless? I don't think so." Bianka said, approaching him.

"You cannot leave unless I allow it. The cloud belongs to me and places my will above yours. Therefore, there is no exit for you. You would be wise to curry my favor." Lysander told her, holding his ground.

"So you still mean to keep me here forever? Even though I have a wedding to attend?" she demanded.

"When did I ever give you the impression that I meant otherwise? Besides, I heard you tell your sister you didn't want to go to that wedding."

"No, I said I didn't want to be a bridesmaid. But I love my baby sis, so I'll do it. With a smile. But let's talk about you. You like to eavesdrop, huh? That sounds a little demonic for a goody-goody angel." Bianka remarked.

Goody-goody? That was really the way she was going to describe him? He was starting to wish Isolde had stuck around. She had a way of calming even the vilest of creatures. He had even seen her calm Bianka and her siblings. Though that was more because Isolde was easily scared and had a way of making the harpy sisters laugh even when they didn't want to.

"In war, I do what I must to win." Lysander told her.

"Let me get this straight...we were at war before I even met you?" she asked, crossing her arms in stubbornness.

"Correct."

His reply to that, was a solid punch across the face. A frown fell on his face as his head whipped to the side. He straightened back up, rubbing his cheek as he looked at the, now smiling, Bianka. Now he understood what Isolde meant about watching his cheek. She had been trying to warn him about Bianka's punch without out right telling him.

"You hit me." he said in shock.

"How sweet of you to notice." Bianka retorted sarcastically.

"Why did you do that? I saved you, gave you my blood. I even explained why you could not leave, just as you asked. I did not have to do any of those things." he remarked.

"Do I really need to repeat your crimes?"

"No." he said, lowering his voice to mutter to himself. "She should have out right told me that you would punch me since she knew instead of being coy."

Bianka's head tilted to the side. Her hands went to her hips as she eyed him.

"Who are you talking about? Who knew I would punch y..."

Bianka cut off as it hit her. She knew only one person that knew the future and never out right gave anyone answer, just vague warnings. And if she was right, it was seriously going to piss her off that she had come and hadn't taken her home with her!

"Isolde was here." Bianka stated.

Lysander didn't answer. He didn't have to. His silence was answer enough. Bianka cursed lowly under her breath. She was going to strangle Isolde the next time she saw her. The little bitch should have taken her home if she could come and go from the heavens at will.

"I'm going to kill her! If she could come up here that easily, she should have taken me back. That little bitch!" Bianka raged.

Lysander winced when the word, "bitch" left her mouth. He wasn't exactly sure how he felt about Isolde, especially given her rather troublesome abilities, but he would have never even considered the word as a way to describe her.

Though to be honest...Isolde really was a pain in the backside.

Back on earth, in her room with Kane sitting beside her on the bed, Isolde sneezed, the high pitch sneeze shocking Kane who looked over at her. Isolde rubbed her nose, sniffling.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah. Someone must be talking about me." Isolde replied.

"Gee, I wonder who that could be. You're a perfect angel to everyone." Kane said sarcastically.

Isolde shot him a glare, making a grin curling his mouth. He leaned towards her and kissed the side of her neck, making a pink blush spread across her cheeks.

"I'm only joking, Isolde." he told her.

"Uh-huh. Keeping joking, Mr. Funny, and you can go sleep in your room." Isolde told him.

Kane smiled, despite the threat. He knew, no matter how angry she got, she wouldn't force him out of her room. She had grown use to him sleeping in the same bed, had grown comfortable using him as her body pillow. There were some mornings that he woke up and found her draped completely over him. He knew she would never kick him out.

"Where'd you go earlier?" Kane asked.

"I went to see Bianka." Isolde replied.

"Is this part of that whole, her "life is about to become more interesting" thing?" Kane asked.

"Yeah. She's having a bit of a rocky start, but she'll get along fine." Isolde replied.

"Are you going to tell Gwen and her sisters where she is?"

"Oh, hell no! Gwen, as she is right now, would have a god sized fit." Isolde said.

Kane chuckled. A few weeks before, he might have argued with her on that, but with her wedding to Sabin coming up and fast, everyone had gotten to see just how diva-like Gwen could be. Isolde, just like everyone else, was doing everything possible to fly below Gwen's radar at the moment.

"Does this rocky start involve a man?" Kane asked.

"Oh, yeah. Poor guy. She's going to turn his home into a bordello with red, velvet lounges, beds in every room...she's even going to take a page out of Anya's book and decorate the walls with pictures of herself naked. Poor man is going to bust a blood vessel." Isolde said, shaking her head.

"Sounds like Bianka's cup of tea." Kane said.

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Good thing I don't have a thing for girls. Harpies would be the end of me." Isolde said, shaking her head.

Kane chuckled at that. Isolde let him laugh. She knew that once Bianka got free of Lysander and came back, she was going to have to watch her back. Bianka wouldn't be too happy about Isolde leaving her up there. Well...not at first anyway. She would thank her in the long run.

Isolde just had to live that long.


	33. Fun With Oil

Author's Note: Greetings my lovely readers. I am so sorry it took so long with this. I usually follow my muse and work on whatever I have the muse for. That tends to mean that I neglect some works in favor of others. But I am back with another chapter. So please enjoy and reviews would most appreciated. I do not own Lords of the Underworld or any of it's characters.

Chapter 33 Fun With Oil

The next two weeks passed with Isolde's mood starting to go foul. While Bianka was up in the heavens, planning her conquest of Lysander, Isolde was stuck dealing with the annoying, and sometimes painful, bouts of arousal that Paris' demon was putting her through. Still really uneasy about sex, Isolde refused to say anything to Kane and did everything possible to hide it from him. Though there were times when she swore he could smell her desperate need. He would give her such strange and intense looks but he wouldn't do anything, worried he would scare her.

The memory of her reaction that morning after the first time, was still fresh in his head.

This day found Isolde heading to Aeron's room. Paris had gotten impossible about taking care of himself, despite what it was doing to her. Aeron was the one that went and got his bed mates for him and if he didn't do it soon, Isolde felt she would go insane and attack Kane. She already knew she was leaving behind the smell of chocolate and champagne again.

Aeron's door was cracked open when she arrived, so she simply nudged the door open. The sight before her made her freeze in her steps for a moment, swaying slightly after coming to a sudden halt. Aeron was standing in the middle of his room, looking about ready to kill something. And Isolde knew what it was, for it was standing next to him.

A female, small and dark haired with eyes as blue as the sky and clothed in a simply, pure white robe, stood at him side. Wings as white as freshly fallen snow with down of gold thread in, arched from her small shoulders. Isolde knew who she was and knew that unlike her, Aeron couldn't see the woman. He could only sense her presence.

Aeron and the woman both turned to face Isolde, who's eyes had to be inching towards crimson by this point, for Aeron forgot completely about the Sent One's presence and hurried towards her.

"Baby girl, your eye-"

"I'm fine. Or...I will be when Paris takes care of his demon." Isolde said, cutting him off with a wave of her hand.

Isolde looked around the room, as if she was trying to find something. She noted that the woman was now staring at her instead of Aeron.

"Where's Legion. I promised to play with her today." Isolde said.

Which was not a lie. She had promised the little demon that. Mostly that was because, beside Aeron, no one else would play one of Legion's games with her. They were all afraid of losing a finger or toe. Which Isolde found to be stupid since they could grow them back. But oh, well. With Gideon around, able to tell when she was lying, Isolde had gotten good at hiding a lie with a truth. By saying something else that was the truth, she could effectively cover up a lie. If she knew how to work it around.

"She went back to hell." Aeron told her, still eyeing her.

"Oh...oh well. I'll just have to find something else to do." Isolde remarked, heaving a sigh.

Aeron's eyes rolled up to the ceiling as if he was debating something and rubbed a hand over his cropped hair. Isolde's eyes locked on that of the female Sent One's, shocking the other female. Isolde gave a jerk of her chin, silently telling the woman it was best she leave for the day. Wings spread wide and she was gone the next second. Isolde turned then, to leave.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Aeron asked.

"Yeah. Just getting a little tired of this constant burning, is all." Isolde replied honestly and, to be honest, a little sourly.

"I thought it was Kane's job, as your boyfriend, to take care of that." Aeron said.

Isolde made a face at him. Everyone probably thought the same thing. Isolde wasn't going to jump Kane's bones every time she got an itch because of this stupid demon.

"I'll be sure to tell him that." Isolde replied, turning to walk off down the hall.

She left Aeron shaking his head at her. If Legion was back in hell and two weeks had passed, that meant that Bianka was getting ready to have Lysander oil-wrestle Paris. There was no way in hell that Isolde was going to miss that amusing sight. She stopped by her room, grabbing a camera that Ashlyn had given her and made her way to Paris' room. Paris was laying on his bed, strung out on ambrosia and liquor as usual. The moment he saw her, he held out his arms as if he was expecting her to walk right into them. Isolde did, hearing his demon purr the moment Paris' arms wrapped around her.

"Your eyes are starting to turn red." he remarked.

"Of course they are. Someone's not taking care of himself." Isolde retorted.

Paris ran a hand through his hair, apologizing to her. Isolde just shook her head. She eased herself out of his arms and perched on the edge of the bed next to him.

"What's with the camera?" Paris asked.

"Oh, you'll find out here soon. She should be calling for you any minute now." Isolde replied.

Paris' eyebrows knit together in confusion. He opened his mouth to ask what she was talking about and...simply vanished. Isolde grinned. And now began the fun. Isolde sank into her shadows. She was going to take a lot of pictures and have fun make copies to spread around the fortress.

She had to find her amusement somewhere.

-0-0-0-0-

Bianka was amused beyond anything watching Lysander face Paris, the two males dressed only in flesh colored loin clothes and standing calf deep in a tub of oil.

"Oh, this looks like fun."

Bianka and the two males turned, a flash blinding Paris and Lysander as there was a click of a camera. Standing there, just behind Bianka, was Isolde, a camera raised to her eye. She lowered the camera and grinned. Lysander rubbed his eyes and blinked away the white spots before turning a stern look on her. He noticed then that her eyes were void of the beautiful, sky blue that lined them and were slowly inching towards crimson in color. She grinned back, raising the camera to snap another picture.

"Isolde." Paris said in warning.

"What? I'm going to keep these so I can look at them in the future and laugh at how ridiculous the two of you look." Isolde remarked.

She turned a grin on Bianka and congratulated her on coming up with the best idea ever. Because of that praise, Bianka decided to spare her, for the time being, the punishment she had planned for Isolde leaving her there when she could have taken her back with her. Bianka linked an arm through Isolde's.

"Take as many pictures as you want." Bianka told her.

"Oh, I plan to."

Bianka grinned at her and turned back to the two males before them.

"Paris, I want you to meet Lysander, the angel-"

"Sent One. There's a difference." Isolde remarked, though Bianka ignored her.

"-who abducted me and has been holding me prisoner up here in heaven."

"Return my weapons and I'll kill him for you." Paris vowed in fury.

"You are such a sweetie. Why is it we haven't slept together yet?" Bianka asked.

Isolde bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the snarl Lysander let out. For a man who wanted to deny how he felt, he certainly was getting jealous. The poor, naive man.

"What? He wants to save me. You want to subjugate me for the rest of my long life. But anyway, let me finish the introductions. Lysander, I'd like you to meet-"

"I know who he is. Promiscuity. He must bed a new woman every day or he weakens." Lysander said, cutting her off.

"Actually, he can sleep with men too. He might be picky, but his demon isn't." Isolde retorted.

"I do hope you'll keep that in mind while you guys are rubbing up against each other." Bianka said gleefully.

Lysander took one step towards Bianka and Isolde gave a twirl of her finger. Lysander's shadow jumped up and forcibly spun the man around, so he was facing the other direction. He almost slipped in the oil, but manage to correct himself. He turned a glare on Isolde but she simply shook a finger at him.

"You can't come after her right now, because I'm standing right next to her and I'm not getting caught in that fight." Isolde told him, Bianka sticking her tongue out at him.

"What's going on?" Paris asked.

"Oh, didn't I tell you? Lysander gave me control of his home, so now I get whatever I want and I want you guys to wrestle. And when you're done, you'll find Kaia and tell her what's happened, that I'm trapped with a stubborn angel-"

"Sent One."

"What the fucking ever, Isolde! Tell her I'm trapped here and can't leave. Well, I can't leave until he gets so sick of me he allows the cloud to release me. And Isolde won't take me back with her." Bianka said.

"Or until I kill you." Paris snapped, looking at Lysander.

"Or until Paris kills you. But I hope you guys will play nice for a little while, at least. Do you have any idea how sexy you both are right now? Aren't they sexy, Isolde?"

"Leave me out of it." Isolde said, looking at Bianka.

"And if you want to kiss or something while rolling around, don't let me stop you." Bianka continued as if Isolde hadn't said anything.

"Urgh!" Isolde groaned, making a face.

"Uh, Bianka. Kaia's in Budapest. She's helping Gwen with the wedding, and thinks you're hiding to get out of your maid of honor duties." Paris told Bianka.

"Yeah, I bet you'd know all about that, wouldn't you, Paris." Isolde said sarcastically, getting a glare from Paris.

"I am not maid of honor, damn it!" Bianka insisted.

"That's not what she says. Anyway, I don't mind fighting another dude to amuse you, but seriously, he's an angel-"

"How many times do I have to say it? Sent One! He's a Sent One, not an angel!" Isolde corrected, smacking a palm to her forehead.

Paris and Bianka both grinned, but pretended to ignore she had said anything.

"I need to return to-"

"No need to thank me." Bianka said, cutting Paris off. "A bowl of Lysander's popcorn, please."

"With extra butter." Isolde added.

The bowl appeared between the two females and Isolde instantly snatched a hand full of it, stuffing some into her mouth. She hummed in joy, eating more.

"Now then. Let's get this party started. Ding, ding." Bianka announced.

Lysander, between his current position and the fact that Isolde had a camera in hand to capture the whole thing, was mortified and angry. Bianka had sought to teach him a lesson about putting his will above hers, and she had succeeded. He admitted to himself that he never should have done so.

"I will set you free." Lysander told her.

Isolde looked between him and Bianka. She knew what was going to happen, he could tell by the way one side of her mouth curled into a half grin.

"Bianka. Have you no response?" Lysander asked.

"Yes, you will set me free. After. Now, I do believe I rang the starting bell." Bianka replied with a grin.

Lysander couldn't say another word before Paris crashed into him, knocking him back on his back. Another flash announced that Isolde had taken a picture. Oil coated him from head to toe, the cherry flavored goo even getting into his mouth.

"Don't forget to use tongue if you kiss." Bianka called.

"These will make excellent pictures. I know a few Sent Ones in the Army of Disgrace that would love to get their hands on them." Isolde said, snapping another photo.

Lysander shot Isolde a glare. She was revealing herself to know more than he ever thought her to know. Just how far did her knowledge go? And would she really give the pictures to other Sent Ones who could do Great Deity knows what with them? He had a feeling that the answer to that question was yes, she would. Isolde seemed like the type of woman who would do just about anything for a giggle.

"You don't lock women away. No matter how irritating they are." Paris growled at Lysander.

Hello, freaky demon eyes and scales. Isolde wracked her brain but she was pretty sure that this was the first time she had ever seen him go freaky demon before. On usually sweet and mild Paris, it was a little intimidating.

"Your friends did something similar to their women, did they not? Even your beloved Isolde was once a prisoner." Lysander replied, shoving Paris off him and onto his back.

"Actually, I was there by choice." Isolde piped in.

And she kind of had been. Yes they had locked her in her room, intending to hold her prisoner, but she could, and did, get out whenever she wanted. So prisoner she had never been, despite intentions. Lysander, though, glared at her for her input on the conversation and she simply shrugged in reply. If he didn't like her putting in her two cents worth, then he could suck it.

Paris shot to his feet, his hands curling into fists. Hello sexy warriors covered in oil. Despite Paris being like a brother to Isolde, she had to admit that he was hot. Isolde leaned to the side to whisper into Bianka's ear.

"Nice choice in entertainment." Isolde told him.

Bianka nodded to herself, like she was the most awesome thing in the world. She agreed with Isolde completely.

"So. Much. Fun." Bianka sang.

"Enough. This is unnecessary. You have made your point. I'm willing to set you free." Lysander told Bianka.

"You're right. It's unnecessary to fight without music! Any suggestions, Is?" Bianka asked, looking at Isolde.

"Lady Gaga is always a good choice for oil wrestling." Isolde said, nodding her head as if she was agreeing with herself.

With a command from Bianka, a song by Lady Gaga filled the cloud. Bianka, unable to help herself, started dancing. Isolde bowed out of the dancing. Lysander on the other hand, knew that there was no reasoning with Bianka and Isolde obviously was just as closed off to the idea of reasoning as Bianka. That left Paris.

"Paris-"

Lysander was cut off when Paris' fist connected with his face. Isolde let out a low, "Ooooo! That's got to hurt." in the background. Lysander slipped and tumbled to his side, getting more oil in his mouth in the process. Paris jumped him, pinning his shoulders and punched him again. Lysander had the right and reason to kill Paris but wouldn't. It wasn't Paris' fault for this situation. It wasn't even Isolde's, though she wasn't helping matters. It was Bianka's fault.

"Are you the one who's been watching Aeron?" Paris demanded.

"Hey, now. Paris, you are not to use your fists. That's boxing, not wrestling." Bianka scolded.

"I don't think he's listening." Rette remarked.

And, truthfully, he wasn't. Paris questioned Lysander on whether or not he was the Sent One following Aeron. Isolde could have told him it wasn't Lysander and obviously, Lysander knew that, for he glanced at Isolde. Isolde, though, wasn't inclined to say anything.

There wasn't any reason for her to.

Aeron would find out, soon enough, who the Sent One watching him was. Paris insisted on knowing the answer, hitting Lysander again. This angered Bianka, who threatened to cut off Paris' head if he did it again. Isolde knew she wouldn't. Lysander, though, was certain that Bianka would do it and wondered why it upset her so much.

The first answer that came to his head was that Bianka could possibly care about his health.

"Are you?" Paris demanded of Lysander.

"No. I'm not." Lysander said finally.

He worked his legs between him and Paris, planting his feet on Paris' chest to try to kick him off. Instead of succeeding, his foot slipped and connected with Paris' jaw instead, shoving Paris' head back.

"Use your hands, angel. Choke him! He deserves it for breaking my rules." Bianka called.

"Bianka." Paris snapped, losing his footing and falling back. "I thought you wanted me to destroy him, not the other way around."

"I do. I just don't want you to hurt him. That's my job." Bianka replied.

"You do know what the definition of the word "destroy" is, right? Because you telling him to destroy Lysander and then telling him not to hurt him is counter productive." Isolde retorted, making Bianka wave off her comment.

"Sorry, darling, but if this continues, I'm going to unleash a world of hurt on your frienemy. Nothing you say will be able to stop me. Clearly, he doesn't have your best interest at heart." Paris told Bianka.

Isolde could see the dark feelings flood over Lysander when Paris called Bianka "darling". She knew what was going through his head. Isolde moved before Lysander did and was already beside Paris, yanking him out of the way as Lysander jumped towards Paris, a sword of fire forming in his hand.

Isolde didn't know why she had stepped in. She knew Bianka would stop Lysander. She **knew** it, but her body reacted without her brain's consent. It was just one of those automatic responses to defend that she had found herself doing a lot since coming to live in the fortress.

Lysander swung his sword, blind in his anger, his sword swinging towards Isolde. He was stopped though when Bianka grabbed his wrist. She had rushed forward, oil getting all over her, just like it had gotten all over Isolde. Lysander's head whipped to the side, his vision clearing of his rage.

"You can't kill him." she told him.

"Because you want him, too." Lysander snarled, posing it as a statement.

"No. Because then you would be like me and therefore perfect. That wouldn't be fair to the world." Bianka said matter-of-factly. "That, and Isolde was about two seconds away from hurting you."

Lysander turned to look at Isolde, finding the girl staring back at him from where she stood between him and Paris. To his shock, Isolde's eyes were a solid, vivid blue and heavenly flames were cracking around one of her hands, ready to burn him. He could see it in Isolde's eyes. Normally she would be willing to get along with him, to stay out of his way, but should he threaten one of her family, she would be forced to hurt him.

"Stop talking and fight, damn you." Paris snapped, moving Isolde out of the way and punching Lysander in the jaw, knocking him to the side.

Paris moving her, broke her concentration and the flames around Isolde's hand vanished, the blue draining from her eyes once more. Isolde jumped out of the oil as Lysander fell into the oil, his sword of fire heating the oil. The sword didn't go out and Lysander managed to keep his grip on it.

"What'd you do that for, you big dummy?" Bianka demanded of Paris.

Isolde ducked, dodging Bianka as she flew at Paris. Isolde would step between Lysander and Paris, knowing she could stop Lysander, who could completely destroy Paris, but she was not going to get between Bianka and Paris. Bianka couldn't really be stopped, not by Isolde, but she wouldn't destroy Paris. Bianka hit Paris, but instead of her doing the "girl" thing and start scratching him and pull his hair, Bianka started punching him.

"He wasn't going to hurt you." Bianka hissed.

Isolde turned and looked at Lysander, pointing over her shoulder at Bianka. Paris, thankfully, was just taking the beating. It was the only thing that probably saved him from Bianka trying to take his head.

"You can stop her, so do it." Isolde demanded of Lysander.

Lysander didn't need her to tell him that. He got to his feet and went up behind Bianka, grabbing her around the waist, pulling her into the hard line of his body. He had a hard time holding onto her, thanks to the oil and her waving her arms in anger, but she didn't try to pull away from Lysander. Isolde went to Paris' side, crouching next to him as he sat up. It meant getting more of the oil all over her, but Isolde didn't really mind.

"I'll teach you to defy me, you rotten piece of shit!" Bianka growled.

"That's enough, B. No need to resort to lame name calling." Isolde told her as Paris rolled his eyes.

Bianka didn't listen to her and continued to spit and hiss much like a cat. Isolde turned her eyes to Lysander silently asking him to get her under control. Why Isolde thought he could, was beyond Lysander but he didn't question her.

"Send him away." Lysander demanded.

"Not until after I-"

Bianka cut off as Lyander's fingers shifted to span most of her waist and he mentioned wanting to be alone with her.

"You...what?" Bianka asked.

"Alone. With you."

Bianka instantly obeyed him.

"Go home, Paris. Your work here is done. Thanks for trying to rescue me. That's the only reason you're still alive. Oh, and don't forget to tell my sisters I'm fine." Bianka said.

Sputtering in outrage, Paris vanished. Isolde shook her head, turning her eyes to Lysander and Bianka. She gave the two a knowing smile and a finger wave.

"Have fun." she told them before vanishing into shadows.

She reappeared in Paris' room where the male was currently muttering to himself as he gathered clothes to shower. It took him a moment to notice her, but he stopped when he did. Isolde held up her camera.

"Do you want a copy of the pictures I took?" she asked with a half grin on her face.

Already the need from his demon was starting to take over again. The demon had pulled away from her when she had summoned her flames, but now he was back with a vengeance.

"No, I don't!" Paris told her, sourly.

"Oh well. I would have been more than happy to give you a copy. Just like the copies I should make and place all over the fortress." Isolde said.

Paris stared at her in surprise. Isolde was blackmailing him. Isolde **never** blackmailed him! One look at her eyes, which were starting to turn red, and he had a pretty good idea on why she was blackmailing him. Isolde dropped the camera, letting it hang from the strap around her neck.

"Deal with the little sex monster in our heads and the pictures will never be seen by anyone. Because I'm tired of this burning feeling." she told him.

With that, Isolde turned and left the room. Any longer in that room and she would be clawing at her skin in some attempt to ease the burn. But even putting distance between her and Paris, did nothing to help her. By the time she reached her bedroom, she couldn't think past the haze in her brain. She just hoped that Kane wasn't in the room.

-0-0-0-0-

When Kane had gone in search of Isolde, he had thought he would find her in her room. Of course, he had found her room empty. He knew she would show back up eventually, so he simply hung out. Disaster knew the moment Isolde was back in the fortress and Kane knew the moment she approached. He could smell chocolate and champagne before she ever opened the door. The moment she stepped into the room, she tossed her camera onto a lounge she had placed near the door and swung the door close, kicking off her oil coated boots as she did. Kane, standing at the foot of her bed, knew what was coming next, the moment her red eyes landed on him and she licked her lips.

Kane started to raise his hands, anything to get her to pause for a moment, just a moment, but she ignored it, instantly approaching him and throwing her arms around his neck. Her fingers dived into his hair, yanking his face down, her lips quickly molding to his. His hands instinctively went to her hips, to push her away, but he found himself yanking her close, pulling her body into the hard line of his own. Her tongue was in his mouth the next second and he was just as lost to the sensation as she was. Deep down, he knew she was going to be upset, but he also knew that this was about the only way she got any relief from Promiscuity.

Isolde's fingers raked through his hair, her thin fingers sliding through his hair before moving down the line of his neck. Her hands continued to move down until her palms pressed into his chest. She gave his chest a shove, pushing him back. The back of his knees collided with the foot of her bed and he sat down heavily on the bed. Isolde instantly dropped to her knees, knelling between his legs, her fingers working his belt free and his pants open.

Kane growled as her fingers closed around his length, freeing it from the confines of his pants. Isolde, her gaze hooded and completely glazed over, licked her lips before her lips closed over the head of his length. Kane threaded the fingers of one hand in her hair and hunched over her, his eyes sliding close in bliss. She took as much of him into her mouth as she could, swirling her tongue around the head when she pulled back. Her hands pressed into his thighs, nails digging into the material of his pants. She was a bit sloppy and obviously didn't know how to properly use her tongue, leading him to believe she hadn't really ever done this, if ever. Despite that, it felt good to have her mouth on his cock, a shiver running down his spine when her teeth lightly scraped over his length.

But if he didn't stop her soon, he would finish before ever getting inside her.

Kane tugged on her hair, pulling her mouth from his cock. Isolde made a noise of complaint, probably more from him pulling her hair than anything. She stopped complaining the moment he yanked her to her feet and spun them both around to bend her over the foot of the bed. Isolde flinched when she found herself in this position, her rational mind pulling free of the haze enough for her to shift uncomfortably as memories made her heart start pounding against her ribs.

Kane, sensing the uneasy in her body, gently ran his hands up her sides, silently assuring her that she was safe with him. Though she relaxed slightly, her muscles were still tense. He could do something about that. The short, forest green, dress she was wearing made it easy for him slide it up. One hand circled around her hip and dived down the front of her black mesh underwear. Isolde's breath left her in soft moan as two fingers thrust into her. Kane's other hand slid under the dress, up to her chest, the strong fingers gripping one breast.

Isolde's fingers curled into the sheets of the bed, her hips arching back to rub the curve of her backside against his length. Kane growled, low in his throat. The friction was sweet, but not enough for him. He gave her breast one last squeeze before releasing it and using that newly emptied hand to slide her panties down over her hips. He pulled a foil wrapped condom out of his back pocket, where he always kept one now, and tore the package open, sheathing himself with the condom as soon as it was free of the wrapping. Isolde made a noise of protest when his removed his fingers from in her, but that noise quickly turned into a moan as he thrust into her. Kane latched his hands onto her hips, jumping into a fast pace to work them both quickly to a end.

Isolde went up on her toes, trying to raise her hips as high as possible, her fingers flexing in the sheets. Her head went back as she moaned her pleasure, her hair spilling around her. She was going to be upset when she came back to her senses, but at least, for a short while, the burn he knew she had been suffering with, would be gone. It had been easy for him to tell that she had been keeping it from him. The glazed look in her eyes as they started to turn red, were a dead give away. And then there was that chocolate and champagne smell that came from her. She couldn't hide either from him, but he hadn't pushed her, knowing that sex scared her.

Disaster found the whole thing amusing. At the moment, the demon was purring away in Kane's head. It always seemed to love it when Kane was able to touch Isolde. Kane had to wonder how Disaster would have acted if Kane hadn't been able to touch Isolde. The demon hissing at the mere thought, answered that question, loud and clear. But it didn't matter, not to Disaster. Kane could touch Isolde and was doing so, so the demon was happy.

Kane had to brace a hand on the bed beside Isolde as she started to squeeze tightly around his cock. She was close to her end and was dragging him along, right behind her. His hips snapped against her backside hard, his thrusts rushing until Isolde's back arched, her shoulders hunching as she let out a cry of pleasure, her orgasm sending a shiver up her spine. Kane braced both hands on the bed, his own fingers digging into the sheets as he raced to finish just behind her. With a loud growl, he followed into the abyss of pleasure. Isolde fell limp against the bed, her knees buckling. Kane wrapped an arm around her waist to ease her onto the bed before backing away from her and dropping to sit on the foot of the bed.

For a moment, both of them simply focused on getting their racing hearts to calm back down. Once his heart had calmed down, Kane leaned over to see how Isolde was fairing, finding her...asleep. Kane stared at her sleeping face in surprise. Did he really wear her out that much? Shaking his head, he got to his feet. He disposed of the used condom before cleaning them both up. He then striped her of her remaining clothes and tucked her into bed. At least she would be back to herself when she woke up.

If she didn't freak out on him again.

Gods, he hoped she didn't freak out again.

A man's ego could only take so much.

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde awoke the next morning, half draped over Kane's naked chest. As always, she experienced a brief moment of panic, especially when she found herself naked and remembered what had happened the night before. Her heart jumped into her throat, pounding a heavy beat as her body tensed, ready to run or attack, but she calmed a little when she looked up to see Kane's sleeping face. She heaved a relieved sigh and relaxed against his chest, letting her heart decrease it's current, jack rabbit pace. Kane had one arm loosely draped around her waist, holding her to his side. It wasn't a tight grip and was loose enough that if she felt the need to pull away from him, she could.

Last night flashed through her mind and she felt her face heat up with mortification. She had actually jumped him...again. And this time, she had put his cock in her mouth! She had never done that before, had never wanted to anymore than she wanted a guy to go down on her. For crying out loud, urine came out of that part of the anatomy. The thought of putting that in her mouth had always disgusted her, but in the state she had been in last night...she had liked it.

She knew he had like it.

She just wanted to forget it.

Isolde shifted to look up at his face, trying to come up with something else to fill her mind. Once again, she marveled at the peaceful look on his face. To think that would be ruined in the months to come, even if it was only for a short while...it still hurt her to think of this man hurting in any way. Even knowing he would find his greatest peace after his greatest torture, she just wanted to spare him that pain. He suffered enough. But she knew she couldn't.

Isolde, careful not to wake him, shifted and her eyes fell to the butterfly tattoo peeking up past the blanket draped over his naked waist. She knew the mark dominated his right hip, the lines black against his skin. She reached out, running finger tips lightly over the lines. She could have sworn the mark moved under her touch as if it relished in the touch of her skin. She heard a distant purr in the back of her head and knew it was from Disaster.

Kane shifted in his sleep, pulling her closer and pinning her to his chest. It half drug her onto him and in her rush to correct herself and get comfortable, without panicking, her knee rose...and nailed him in the groin. Kane awoke instantly and with a hiss.

"I'm so sorry, Kane!" Isolde said instantly, as his grip tightened around her once more. "I didn't mean to do that! I was trying to get comfortable without waking you up."

"Well, I'm awake now." he grumbled.

"Sorry!"

Kane sat up, still holding her to him. It was only when he did things like this that she noticed the sheer difference in their sizes. She had never felt small compared to a man, but she certainly felt smaller at least. Especially when sitting next to Kane.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine."

For a moment, he just sat there, probably cursing her knee on the inside for injuring his family jewels. Isolde really did feel bad. Normally she found it hilarious to watch a guy get hit in the nuts, but this wasn't funny. Isolde would do a lot of things to a sleeping man-dump cold water on them, stick their hands in warm water, draw mustaches on them, cover them in worms, etc-but she would never purposely knee them in the groin.

Well, not any she liked, anyway.

Though it was a little bit of an awkward gesture given their new relationship status, Isolde leaned forward, place a chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth. Kane turned to look at her, reaching out to snag a piece of her hair between two fingers. This early in the morning, her hair was a mess about her.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

Isolde couldn't pretend not to know what he was talking about. She felt her face heat up once more, her eyes darting away from his face.

"I guess." she replied.

"Your eyes aren't red anymore." he remarked.

"Gee, I wonder why."

Kane chuckled at her grumble. He knew she wasn't mad at him. After all, she had been the one to jump him. Not much complaining she could do about it.

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde, later that day, ended up on Gwen's radar. How she had managed that, Isolde didn't know, since she had been so careful about staying out of the bridezilla's path. She had a feeling, especially after watching the red head snicker in the background, that Kaia had something to do with it. Isolde figured this was a form of punishment for not helping Bianka. Even though Isolde wasn't the maid-of-honor, she ended up getting dragged along with Gwen and Sabin to a cake tasting. They visited several shops only for Gwen to deny every cake they tasted and demand that Isolde make the cake.

Isolde could have argued that she wasn't a baker, but a cook, which was different in her opinion, but she knew Gwen wouldn't listen. She would just have to bust her ass to make the cake. Else wise, Gwen would bust her ass. After finally being allowed to leave Gwen and her constant whining that things were wrong, Isolde barely made it back to her room when her phone started to ring. She checked the ID only find that it was Bianka. She answered with the first thing that popped into her head.

"Jackie's Mule Barn, head jackass speaking. How may I help you?" Isolde said the moment the phone was to her ear.

"Head jackass is right." was Bianka's instant retort.

"Well I could have gone with the other one. Charlie's Whore House, you have the dough, we have the hoe. But given how you're feeling right now, I thought that would be in poor taste." Isolde replied.

"What do you know about how I'm feeling?" Bianka demanded.

"One word...consort."

Bianka fell silent. When was the woman going to figure out that she couldn't hide anything from her. Isolde had read the books countless times, memorized every word. She knew how confused and scared Bianka was feeling now that she had figured out that Lysander was her consort.

"Want to be sassy now?" Isolde asked.

"You know...I really hate you." Bianka replied.

"Uh-huh, you hate me alright...about as much as a chocolate." Isolde replied idly.

"Does that confidence ever waver?" Bianka asked.

"Why should it?"

Bianka sputtered and started yelling in her ear. Isolde mimicked a mouth moving with one hand as she rolled her eyes. It was times like this, when she had a moment of peace with one of those who had become apart of a makeshift family for her, that she realized how much she had come to care for these people. They were strange, eccentric even, and not without their faults, but they were her family. More trials would come their way and Isolde knew for a fact that it wasn't going to be easy but the trials were what made them tight as a family.

For now...she just had to survive Gwen and her bridezilla ways.

A trial Isolde was afraid would end up killing her.

END


	34. Proclamations and Horrid Dresses

Author's Note: Hello, everyone. I apologize for taking so long to update. My muse, as of late, has been horribly single minded and, as such, I've been stuck on one story. But I have decided to attempt to udpate, at least, most of my stories. I have somewhat succeed, so without any further ado, I will get straight to the point. Please enjoy and I would kill for some reviews, please and thank you. I do not own Lords of the Underworld or any of it's characters.

Chapter 34

Lysander was beyond himself.

Yes, he had decided to try to change Bianka, but he didn't know how to go about it. Of course, since she knew the future, he thought of asking Isolde, but he could already hear her laughter and imagine how she would refuse to assist him. So, for the first day, he followed Bianka. It was as he watched her that he decided that he would use a reward system of sorts. When she did something he approved of, he would give her a kiss. Just the thought of it had him humming with anticipation by the second day.

He followed her to a clothing store where she stole a scarf. He appeared in front of her and told her to put it back, to which she instantly crossed her arms. A nearby human saleswoman took notice, but since she couldn't see Lysander, she simply thought Bianka was talking to herself. When Bianka threatened her, the woman rushed away. When she was gone, Bianka stole another scarf. It was then that Lysander offered her a kiss in return for her putting the scarves back. He could tell he had tempted her, but she shook her head and demanded to know why he was offering.

Instead of accepting, Bianka stole a belt. That she had denied him, angered him. With Bianka, it seemed he never had a clear thought. To throw him even more off, Bianka turned his offer on him. She told him if **he** stole something **she** would kiss **him**. Of course, he denied her. It was shortly after that that a policeman approached them and arrested Bianka for shoplifting. Six hours later, an officer came and released Bianka, telling her that a woman had just posted her bail. When Bianka came down the front steps of the station, she found Isolde leaning against the hood of a car, sunglasses blocking her eyes from view. Bianka's anger returned when she saw the girl.

"Well about damn time you show up!" Bianka snapped.

"Still angry, I see." Isolde remarked, not moving even as Bianka stormed towards her.

"Well, no fucking duh! You left me up there!" Bianka snapped.

When she reached Isolde, she reached out to shake the girl, but her hands passed through her as if she was made of shadows, wisp of color floating away before curling back to reform Isolde's form. Of course. Isolde wouldn't leave herself unprotected when faced with the anger of someone who could move faster than she could see. She was going to leave her physical form out of Bianka's reach as long as she was this angry. It put a frown on Bianka's face.

"What part of "for a reason" does everyone fail to understand? I don't always talk just to hear myself talk, you know. I paid your bail, so can't we call it even? I even caught hell from Gwen because of you and Kaia. Just let it go." Isolde advised.

Bianka grumbled to herself. She fixed Isolde with a hard glare, before heaving a huff. She had more pressing matters than Isolde anyway. For now, she would let Isolde off the hook. That didn't mean she wasn't going to get back at Isolde in the end. She couldn't remain in that shadowy form forever.

"Fine, what the fuck ever." Bianka retorted. "What took you so long to get here anyway? Usually you can get from one place to the other with ease."

"I didn't use the normal method for getting here. Well...normal for me. I'm trying to train my newest ability so it doesn't take so much out of me to use it. It takes time and it's not like it killed you to spend some time behind bars. It's the third time this year that you've been arrested for shoplifting, right?" Isolde replied.

"That's not going to fly!" Bianka complied.

"Give me a break, already. My shoulders hurt." Isolde retorted rotating one shoulder as if she was stiff.

With that, Isolde pushed herself away from the car. She jammed her hands into her pockets and peered over the top of her sunglasses at Bianka.

"Anyway, don't you have other fish to fry? I'll see you back in Budapest in a few days." Isolde said.

Before Bianka could say anything in return, shadows jumped up to swallow Isolde whole, the girl vanishing without another word to her. Bianka let out a half stifled scream of frustration. Between Isolde and Lysander, Bianka felt like she was going to go insane.

She had no idea that Isolde was laughing all the way home.

-0-0-0-0-

A day later, Bianka returned to Budapest. Isolde was outside doing a little work-out training with the others, when Bianka came flying towards her. Isolde had a pretty good idea on what was about to happen and didn't try to stop it as Bianka slugged her one right across the face, knocking her clear off her feet. Isolde hit the ground hard, cries of outrage sounding from the others. She was sure she felt her cheekbone crack under the force of Bianka's punch. Pressing a hand to the throbbing cheek, Isolde pushed herself up into a sitting position. But Bianka wasn't done. She seized Isolde by the front of her shirt, yanking her to her feet and pulled back a fist to hit Isolde again.

"Bianka! Stop!"

Kaia and Gwen surged forward, grabbing onto Bianka's arm to halt her next punch. Bianka ignored them both as she glared at Isolde. Using her grip on Isolde's shirt, she gave the younger female a firm shaking, rattling Isolde with the force behind the shaking. Isolde had to grab her head because she felt like the rattling was strong enough that it could break her neck.

"You know, don't you? Don't you!?" Bianka demanded.

Isolde, a bruise forming over her cheek, was silent for a moment. She ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back from her face before she nodded.

"I know. I know how you're feeling now, too." Isolde replied.

No apology, no explanation, no nothing. Isolde just stood there looking about as sorry as an unrepented thief. Bianka, her anger getting the best of her, tried again to punch Isolde but Kaia and Gwen kept her from delivering the blow. Isolde didn't even blink.

"You can't punch her!" Gwen told her sister.

"No, let her."

All eyes turned to Isolde in surprise. None of them had a single clue what Isolde was thinking for her to tell them to let Bianka hit her. Bianka could completely rip her apart and she wanted them to let her have a go at her? Even Bianka was surprised, but only for a second. With the surprise from Isolde's words, Bianka was able to rip free of her sisters, landing another punch. Isolde hit the ground again, blood spilling from her nose and her top lip splitting open.

"Isolde!"

Kane was instantly at her side, shielding her from anymore hits as he crouched at her side. Isolde pressed a hand to her bleeding nose and lip as she looked up at Bianka. Blood dripped past her fingers, staining the white tank top she was wearing.

"You could have stopped the whole thing, and you didn't!" Bianka snapped.

"I could have." Isolde agreed. "But then something would have been lost, defeating the whole purpose of the whole thing."

Bianka stared at Isolde as the girl pulled a bandana from her pocket and wiped the blood from her face. She folded it and pressed it to her nose and lip, trying to stop the flow of blood. She didn't look the least bit upset over the fact that she was bleeding.

"What are you talking about?" Bianka demanded.

"It might not seem like it to any of you, but everything I do, I do for a reason. Yeah, I'm a bitch. I poke fun at people and make it seem like I'm purposely messing with your lives just for the hell of it. But if that was really the case, I assure you, I could think of a whole lot of ways to fuck with you that are a whole lot more messed up than anything I've done so far. If I left you there, it was for a reason. You don't get it right now, but you will. If hitting me is going to make you feel better...well, it's not like I won't heal from it." Isolde said.

Kane protested, but Isolde got back to her feet, waving him off, and faced Bianka, not even flinching when Bianka drew her fist back like she was going to hit her again. Bianka stared at her, but Isolde didn't move. Isolde really was going to just let her slug her across the face. Bianka searched Isolde's face, but found nothing. She let out an annoyed noise. Isolde had left her in the heavens but she hadn't been the one to cause the heart breaking feeling Bianka was feeling. No, that was all on Lysander. So, while she was still angry, she knew she couldn't punch Isolde again and Isolde knew that.

"If you aren't going to hit me again then I'm going back to my room to change out of this shirt now that it has blood on it." Isolde said.

With that, Isolde walked away from them, pressing the bloody bandana to her nose. The others watched her, Bianka deflating. She felt like crap and she had taken it out on Isolde, when really, it wasn't her fault. While Isolde had all rights to be angry with Bianka now, she had simply taken it. Perhaps later Bianka might find a reason to apologize, but for now, she wanted to mope.

-0-0-0-0-

Over the next few days, Isolde found herself being recruited to help decorate the chapel where Sabin and Gwen would be married. Today found her helping Bianka and a few others to hang flowers from the vaulted ceiling. She was currently hanging, upside down from the ceiling, using her shadows to anchor her feet to the paneled ceiling. Isolde had noticed Lysander following Bianka and he knew she knew he was there. He still didn't know how she could see him, but she could. He was thankful that she didn't feel the need to tell Bianka. Then again, it appeared that Bianka and Isolde weren't talking.

"Those flowers aren't centered, B. Shift them a little to the left."

Kaia suddenly calling out to Bianka, drew Isolde from her thoughts. Isolde twisted to look over towards Bianka and Kaia. Bianka let out a frustrated sigh and shift the flowers she was hanging.

"Like this?" she asked.

"No. My left, dummy." Kaia retorted.

Bianka grumbled to herself as she fixed the flowers. When Kaia commented that they were perfect, Bianka flipped her off. She released her hold on the ceiling panels and dropped to the floor, landing easily and straightening.

"I think they're perfect, too. What about you, Isolde? What do you think?" Gwen called.

The others looked up at Isolde as she walked casually across the ceiling, checking to make sure the flowers were secure. It was a good thing that the girl hadn't chose to wear a skirt today.

"Personally, I can do without flowers, but if it makes you happy than more power to you. It is your day." Isolde remarked.

Gwen beamed, glad someone saw it her way. Done checking the flowers, Isolde dropped to the floor, spinning in the air to land on her feet.

"Glad the princess is finally happy with something. I don't understand why you can't get married in a tree like a civilized Harpy." Bianka muttered.

"That's civilized?" Isolde asked Kaia lowly, leaning towards the red head.

Bianka ignored the comment while Kaia snickered lowly. Gwen, on the other hand, propped her fists on her hips.

"Because my dream has always been to be wed in a chapel like any other normal person." Gwen remarked.

"And we're normal, how?" Isolde asked. "I don't know about the rest of you, but for me, normality is over rated."

Gwen shot her a glare to which Isolde raised her hands in innocence.

"Now, will someone please remove the naked portraits of Sabin from the walls? Please." Gwen demanded.

"Why would you want to get rid of them when I just spent all that time hanging them?" Anya asked, sounding offended. "They add a little something extra to what would otherwise be a very boring proceedings. My wedding will have strippers. Live ones."

"Yeah...I'm not going to help with that." Isolde informed her.

Anya stuck her tongue out at Isolde. Gwen, though, was furious at Anya's comments, her eyes turning black. Isolde heaved a sigh. This was probably around the tenth time in the past hour that Gwen's Harpy had started to rear it's head.

"It won't be boring. It'll be beautiful." Ashlyn soothed.

But Gwen was stuck in her insulted mode. She wasn't going to let the insult slide so easily. The down side of dealing with a Harpy.

"Great! Someone get Sabin before Gwennie kills us all in a rage." Bianka said, throwing her hands into the air.

"No need to search me out. I'm here." Sabin called, walking in through the double doors. "As if I'd be more than a few feet away when she's so sensitiv-"

"Sabin, choose your words carefully." Isolde warned.

"Uh, just in case she needed my help." Sabin corrected. "Gwen, baby. The most important thing tomorrow is that we'll be together. Right?"

Sabin pulled Gwen to him, the woman snuggling up to him, calming almost instantly. Isolde rolled her eyes and turned away from the group. Since Kane was back at the fortress, she decided to find her amusement else where. Walking to the back of the pews, Isolde shocked a standing Lysander and Olivia, who sat his side, when she dropped to sit on the pew just a foot or two from them.

"You're aware she punched me because of your foolishness, right? Twice, for that matter." Isolde remarked lowly.

Lysander looked down at her as she propped her feet up on the back of the pew in front of her. Olivia stared at her in surprise. Isolde had just interrupted them in the middle of their conversation about Aeron.

"I am." Lysander answered.

"Good...expect retaliation for that at a later date." Isolde informed.

Lysander knew she would try, but he wasn't too worried about it. Isolde, despite all her fierceness at times, was surprisingly quick to forgive certain people for certain things. He had a feeling she would forgive him.

"And you have yet to inform me on how it is that you can see us." Lysander remarked.

Isolde let out a little laugh.

"Yeah, don't ever expect an answer to that. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not one to give answers to anyone." Isolde replied.

"I have noticed." Lysander replied.

"Then why ask a stupid question?"

Isolde glanced over at him before putting her feet on the floor and standing. For a moment, she stretched. She kept her face forward, looking towards her family. Lysander knew it was to keep the others from knowing she was speaking to him.

"Just know this...if you want to prove your feelings to Bianka then perhaps you should consider declaring those feelings to an audience. Perhaps an angelic one?"

Lysander stared at Isolde as her eyes turned to him.

Was she suggesting...!?

Isolde watched as Lysander's eyes widened slightly. He had caught onto her meaning. Isolde rocked back on her heels as she waited for him to say something.

"Why are you helping me?" he asked.

"Bianka is family to me now. I help my family, even if it doesn't look like it. I don't like to see them hurting. Whatever trials lay ahead, you are what is best for her. I will always do what I can to help give them what is best for them. I've learned one thing in my short life and that's that when it comes to the ones you love...everything is worth losing. Don't screw it up." Isolde told him.

She gave Olivia a smile before turning to walk away, calling for Lucien, who quickly appeared at the call of his adopted daughter. Lysander watched as she walked away with Lucien at her side, already talking to him in a low voice. Lysander had to admit, he was slightly amused. Isolde acted like she couldn't care less, like she wasn't the attached kind, but when it came to the Lords and their ladies, she was always ready to jump to their defense.

Loyal to a point of detriment.

But this time, it was to his advantage. Taking Isolde's suggestion, he was going to prepare for tomorrow. Hopefully, Bianka would forgive him.

Though he had a pretty good feeling she would.

-0-0-0-0-

Isolde wanted to kill herself.

Or at least murder whoever had made the horrible dress that Gwen had forced her into.

Literally forced. The back of the thing was stapled close to keep it on Isolde until the wedding was over.

The thing was buttercup yellow, was covered in ribbons, bows, and sequined rose appliqués, and had a matching hat with orange streamers falling from it. Isolde had almost hid under her bed that morning, but Gwen had caught her.

"So much for our plan to go naked." Kaia muttered. "Gwen saw me leave my room that way and almost sliced my throat."

"Did not." Gwen protested from behind them.

"She almost pushed you out a window." Isolde retorted. "And that's still better than being stapled into your dress."

The sisters laughed. Even Taliyah laughed, but Isolde was too annoyed with her current state of dress to bother laughing.

"Hence the reason I'm now wearing this." Kaia said, gesturing to her dress.

"I hate yellow." Isolde agreed. "And bows."

"I didn't want you looking prettier than me, so sue me." Gwen said with a shrug.

She was obviously unrepentant with her choice of braidsmaids dresses. Isolde felt the urge to strangle Gwen with one of the ribbons on the hideous dress.

"Gwen...I could never match you in beauty. Why subject me to this?" Isolde asked.

"You're pretty too, Isolde. So hush." Gwen told her.

"Weddings suck." Bianka remarked.

"I'm ditto-ing." Isolde agreed.

"You should have just had Sabin tattoo your name on his ass and called it good." Bianka told Gwen.

"Sad thing is...she did. And on his arm and chest and back." Isolde said.

Gwen shrugged her shoulders once more. While Isolde like the idea of her name branding the skin of a guy, she didn't think she'd ever actually do it. Simply because she didn't want him to brand her in return.

"I casually mentioned how much I'd always wanted a big wedding, and well, he told me I had four weeks to plan it or he'd take over and do it himself. And everyone knows men can't plan shit. So..." Gwen shrugged her shoulders. "Are they ready for us yet?"

Bianka and Kaia peeked through the curtains and into the chapel.

"Not yet. Paris is missing." Bianka said.

"Surprise, surprise." Isolde muttered.

Paris, just for this wedding, had gotten ordained over the internet. He would be the one to preside over the wedding and currently, he was missing.

"He better hurry. Or I'll find a way to make him oil-wrestle again." Bianka said grumpily.

Isolde snorted in laughter, trying to hold it back but unable to do so. She still got so much amusement looking at the pictures she had taken of that.

"You've been so depressed lately. Missing your angel?" Kaia asked Bianka just then.

Isolde heaved a sigh. She had corrected them gods only knew how many times, but they insisted on calling Lysander's kind angels instead of the correct term, Sent Ones.

"Of course not. I hate him." Bianka replied.

"Uh-huh..." Isolde muttered.

She didn't say anything else when Bianka shot her a glare.

"I only would have teased you for a few years, you know. You should have kept him around. It might have been fun to corrupt him." Kaia remarked.

Isolde glanced at Bianka. She, at least, knew how torn up Bianka was. Bianka had only to look at Isolde to know the girl knew, understood, and was sorry. Isolde didn't say anything though and Bianka turned to Gwen to turn attention from herself.

"So Sabin doesn't have a last name. Are you going to call yourself Gwen Sabin?" Bianka asked.

"No. She should do what I do. I call myself Isolde Lord." Isolde said.

"Yep. I'm going to call myself Gwen Lord." Gwen said.

"What's Anya plan to call herself? Anya Underworld?" Kaia asked.

"Knowing our goddess, she'll demand Lucien take her last name. Trouble. Or is that her middle name?" Bianka remarked.

"Oh please no. I don't want to be called Isolde Trouble." Isolde said with a groan.

Legion showed up then, wearing a yellow dress of her own, carrying a flower basket, and with a tiara on her scaly head. Without waiting for permission, she shouldered her way through the door to start the whole ceremony. Legion tossed pink petals in every direction as she walked. Paris appeared at the podium, just as Legion reached the front, Sabin punching him for his tardiness.

Isolde followed Legion, squaring her shoulders and raising her chin. Bianka was amazed with how Isolde managed to own the dress, despite how horrible it was. The girl walked with pride and didn't falter in the least. Kane stood waiting for her as her appointed groomsman. Bianka watched as Kane greeted Isolde with an affectionate smile. One that Isolde returned. While they couldn't call it love just yet, it was clear that the two cared deeply for each other.

It made Bianka a little jealous.

Bianka went after her, heading for Strider, her appointed groomsman. Kaia came after her and when she stood at the front, Taliyah and Gwen appeared, Sabin's breathe catching in his throat when he caught sight of Gwen. Isolde stood there, pretending to listen to Paris as he spoke, but really, she was observing Gwen and Sabin as they said their vows. It was obvious that the two were so completely in love with each other. While Isolde did love Kane, as she did all of the others, she couldn't say it was anything like what Gwen and Sabin shared.

Kane's true love would come later. It kind of made Isolde yearn for something she doubted she would ever have. She just couldn't bring herself to open herself up to something like that. Not when she couldn't even accept herself as she was. She watched as Gwen and Sabin said their vows and the crowd cheered when Sabin and Gwen kissed. As the wedding party turned to leave, Isolde leaned towards Bianka.

"Good luck."

Bianka stared at her in questioning, but Isolde took Kane's arm, blew Bianka a kiss and let Kane lead her away. Lysander would take care of the rest. When they were out of sight of the chapel room, Isolde laid a hand on Kane's arm. When he looked at her, she gave him a smile and slipped her arm out of his. Kane caught on and left her to do whatever she was going to do. Isolde hid around a door frame and watched as Lysander and many of his kind, filled the room.

"What are you doing here?" Bianka demanded.

"I came to beg your forgiveness. I came to tell you that I am proud to be your man. I brought my friends and brethren to bear witness to my proclamation." Lysander told her.

"But I'm evil and that's not going to change. I'm your temptation. You could, I don't know, lose everything by being with me." Bianka replied.

"No, you are not evil. And I don't want you to change. You are beautiful and intelligent and brave. But more than that, you are my everything. I am nothing without you. Not good, not right, not complete. And do not worry. I will not lose everything as you said. You have not committed an unpardonable sin." Lysander told her.

About time he figured it out. Isolde wanted to cheer that out loud, but she didn't want to ruin the moment, or give herself away.

"And if I do?" Bianka asked.

"I will fall." was Lysander's simple reply.

Isolde knew Bianka would never allow that. She knew how much Lysander loved what he did and who he was. She wouldn't allow for that to be threatened. Especially not by her own actions.

"What brought this on?" Biank asked.

"I finally pulled my head out of my ass." Lysander replied dryly.

Isolde had to clamp both hands over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Hearing Lysander curse was just too hilarious. Reading it had been one thing, but actually hearing it was completely different.

"I only hope you can love so foolish a man. I am willing to live wherever you desire. I am willing to do anything you need to win you back." Lysander said, dropping to his knees. "I love you, Bianka Skyhawk. I would be proud to be yours."

"Now? You decided to introduce me to your friends now? When I look like this?" Bianka asked, looking over her shoulder at those behind her. "I usually look better than this, you know. You should have seen me the other day. When I was naked."

Isolde was stifling laughter at this point. Bianka really knew how to respond in the most creative of ways.

"That's all you have to say to me?" Lysander asked, getting back to his feet.

"No. There's more. But I will never live this yellow gown thing down, you know." Bianka replied.

"Bianka."

"Yes, I love you, too. But if you ever decide I'm unworthy again, I'll show you just how demonic I can be." Bianka vowed.

"Deal. But you don't have to worry, love. It is I who am unworthy. I only pray you never learn of this." Lysander told her.

"Oh, I know it already. Now c'mere you." Bianka replied, jerking him down into a kiss.

Isolde watched the two embrace and kiss. She watched as, with a whoop, Bianka jumped at him, wrapping her legs around his waist and Lysander flew off with them. Another happy ending to add to the list. Isolde shook her head as she turned to go join the others at the reception. The wedding was over and she didn't care what Gwen said, she was going to have Kane cut her out of this damn dress. Next on the list of happy couples would be Aeron and his angelic little Olivia.

Things seemed to be moving along swiftly.

-0-0-0-0-

"The annoying, lazy, jerky assholes!"

Today found Isolde grocery shopping, by herself. Usually one of the warriors insisted on coming with her, but most had their hands full with other things. Since they needed food, Isolde had ended up driving into town on her own. At the moment, she stood at the back of her SUV, loading bags of groceries into the back. Now and then, she would peer around her, just keeping an eye peeled for trouble, but the street around her was empty.

It was odd, given this time of day. It was early afternoon, just a little past one o'clock. It was normally the time of day that she came to town because that was about the time of day that the streets were the busiest. It kept her hidden in a crowd of people, just in case Hunters showed their faces. Today though, it was quiet and empty. It had goosebumps rising on her skin. She didn't like it and sped up in loading the bags. The whole time, she muttered to herself about her housemates.

"One of them could have taken a mere hour to come with me, but no. See if I cook anything for them tonight." Isolde muttered, picking up the last bag.

Just then, a shiver rode the length of her spine, making the little hairs on the back of her neck, stand on end. It was like that feeling people got when they felt like they were being watched, only about a hundred times worse. All of her instincts were screaming at her to run and she knew why.

Isolde whipped around, dropping the bag in her hands as she reached for a knife or gun. Before she could reach either or summon her shadows, a heavy hand hit her hard across the back of the neck, slamming her face first into the ground. Explosions of white bloomed to life across her eyes as her head cracked against the stones of the street. It stunned her, leaving her laying there, fighting to recover. Before she could, a knee drove itself into her back, driving the air from her lungs. A fraction of a second later, something sharp jabbed into her neck.

The white across her eyes was replaced by black that slowly blacked out her vision, lulling her into a deep sleep. Whoever it was, Isolde knew one thing for sure.

She was going to be pissed when she woke up.

-0-0-0-0-

"Has anyone seen Isolde?"

Everyone in the entertainment room looked up at Kane who stood in the door way, his cell phone in hand.

"She went out for groceries, didn't she?" Ashlyn asked.

"Yeah, but that was three hours ago." Kane replied.

"Have you called her?" Maddox asked.

"She's not answering her phone."

With this, the others started to worry. Isolde, unless home and asleep or in the shower, usually answered her phone whenever they called. That she wasn't and that she had taken nearly three times longer than usual for groceries, meant that something had happened. Lucien was on his feet in an instant. With Anya and Kane right behind him, the three flew up the stairs to Torin's room. Lucien didn't even bother with knocking, just threw open the door. Torin spun to look at him but whatever he was about to say, died when he saw the panicked look on Lucien's face.

"Torin, you have cameras set up around Isolde's most frequented spots in town, yes?" Lucien asked.

"Yeah. Paris set them." Torin replied.

"Check them. She went grocery shopping alone three hours ago and hasn't been answering her phone." Lucien told him.

Torin turned to his wall of screens and started typing away on his keyboard. One by one, camera shots appeared on the screen. Two showed Isolde's favorite cafe, another two showed a shop she liked to shop at, and another two showed the grocery store she always went to. It wasn't until the cameras focused on the grocery store came up that that they finally spotted Isolde's car.

"I'll be right back and I'm taking Strider with me." Lucien said, turning to Strider.

The two vanished and seconds later, they appeared on the video feed, beside the car. The two looked around before Torin's phone rang. Torin put it on speaker for everyone to hear.

"The back of the car is open, a bag of groceries dropped on the ground, and she's no where to be seen. Her phone is on the ground as well." came Lucien's voice over the phone.

Worried looks passed between the others. Isolde wasn't one to completely vanish without a word and she certainly wouldn't have left groceries and her phone out in the open. Something had happened and they all knew, it wasn't going to be good.

"I'm bringing up the recorded video for the last three hours." Torin said, fingers clicking away.

The video came up, rewinding back to three hours ago. Reaching his desired point, he hit play. They watched as Isolde arrived at the store, glancing around herself as she headed to the store. About thirty minutes later, she appeared out of the store, bags of groceries ready to be loaded into the SUV. To them, it looked like the girl was edge. She kept looking around, glancing over her shoulder as she sat bags in the car.

As they watched, Isolde froze, a shadow falling over the ground behind her. She whipped around, dropping her bag in favor of reaching for a weapon, only to be hit hard in the back of the neck. Isolde hit the ground and whoever had attacked her, pinned her to the ground, jamming a needle into her neck. It was only when she was unconscious that he stood and turned to look around, exposing his face to the camera. Everyone froze, someone cursed, and another person punched the wall.

"What is it?" Lucien asked over the phone.

"Someone knocked her out and took her." Torin told him in a grim tone. "I'll give you three guesses as to who it was, but you're only going to need one."

There, caught on the camera heaving Isolde's unconscious form into his arms...was Galen.


End file.
